For Want of a Child
by Myth Queen
Summary: After decades of being married to Odin, Frigga finds that her childless state weighs heavy on her. When her husband suggests that she visit Jord, the Elder Goddess that sustains life on Earth, she agrees. But the price to have a child to raise is more than she ever imagined. Standalone inclusion of Marvel-Tolkien Fangirl's and mine Shadows and Regrets universe.
1. Chapter 1

The baby was sleeping. Frigga rocked the little girl, stroking her downy golden hair as she set her down in the crib. Odin had built the crib when they first married, crafting each bar with love and care. It had laid empty since he had proudly shown it to her, until she decided that it was no good waiting for a baby that would never happen, and she started to put Freyja's children to sleep in it while she watched them.

Five-year-old Var wandered into the room as Frigga covered her younger sister, one of Freyja's triplets. Var stuck her thumb in her mouth.

"Syn sleeping yet?"

"Yes."

"You gonna read me a story now?"

Frigga smiled at the little girl's big blue eyes and took her hand, leading her back to the main room of the nursery. All of Freyja's daughters were adorable, and they all looked exactly like her. Seven daughters. While Frigga had none. She knew she shouldn't be jealous, that Freyja had her own problems, but she couldn't help it. _Seven_ daughters!

Var settled next to Frigga on the couch as the queen opened a book. Var leaned against her, and Frigga put an arm around her. Her heart always warmed when she was close to children. It always had. When she was a child herself, when she wasn't helping the local mothers in the square, she was in her room, carefully caring for her dolls. Changing them, feeding them, rocking them. She would even pace the halls for hours, telling anybody who asked that her baby was colicky and wasn't going to sleep.

She and Odin both had planned to have a baby as soon as possible when they married. And decades later, nothing had happened.

Var twisted her fingers into Frigga's hair, repeatedly curling and uncurling a strand around her little finger. When she stuck the same finger up her nose, Frigga carefully extracted it and wiped the mucus off both the finger and her hair.

"When do I get to go home?"

Frigga stroked her silky blonde hair from her face. "Aren't you enjoying the story?"

Var shook her head. "I want Mor."

"She's going to come soon, sweetheart."

Var's lip trembled and her eyes filled with tears. "She never sees me anymore."

"Oh, sweetie." Frigga pulled her close and kissed the top of her head, her heart aching.

With so many children, and three of them only infants, it wasn't surprising that some of them were feeling left out. When Freyja asked Frigga to watch Var and Syn, she had told her that Frey was watching Lofn, who was just a few years older than Var, and Snotra, another of the triplets, while Hnossa and Idunn, the two oldest, were taking care of Sjofn.

When Frigga had asked Freyja what her plans were, Freyja just laughed and told her she didn't have plans – she was just going crazy and needed a few hours to herself. Frigga tried not to judge her, but there was still part of her mind that questioned how much Freyja actually wanted her children if she couldn't stand to be with them.

"Last night Mor told me that she was going to sing to me, but the babies woke up and they kept crying and she didn't sing to me." Var tugged at the stained lace pinafore she wore. "I miss Mor singing to me. Those babies take up all her time."

"Well, they're still very little," Frigga said, trying to comfort the little girl. "When they grow up a little bit, she'll have more time. You just have to be patient."

Var seized the book from Frigga's lap and threw it. "I'm tired of being patent!"

"Var, that was unnecessary," Freyja said firmly. "I know you're angry, but ruining my belongings won't help you."

She set Var aside and retrieved the book, returning it to the shelf. As Var made angry noises behind her, she set about tidying the bookshelf, glancing over her shoulder once in a while to make sure Var wasn't doing anything that would hurt herself. Eventually the noises stopped, and Freyja returned to the couch.

"I'm sorry for throwing the book," Var muttered, rubbing her eyes. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and Freyja embraced her.

"It's alright, Var. You're feeling frustrated and I know that can be hard."

Whatever anybody said about Freyja's lifestyle, her daughters were all generally well-behaved, genteel and very self-confident. All good qualities in young women. If – when – Frigga found herself blessed with a daughter, she was going to follow her friend's lead and have her trained in swordplay and self-defence.

Var sighed. "That's what Uncle Frey says. He says that Mor is just really tired and she needs me to be extra good." She let out an even louder sigh. "Hnossa still sings to me though. I love Hnossa."

Frigga stroked her hair, and Var stuck her thumb back into her mouth. Her eyes slowly closed, and soon she was snoring softly. Frigga smiled as she laid the little girl on the couch and covered her with a blanket. The screaming babies probably didn't just keep Freyja up at night. Var probably had some sleepless nights as well.

A soft wail told her that Syn had woken, and Frigga went into the bedroom and retrieved the baby. She was wet, so Frigga changed her quickly and fed her some goat's milk. It wasn't long after that Freyja came to the door, looking significantly more relaxed than she had earlier that day.

"I hope the girls were good for you," she said quietly, smiling at sleepy Syn. The baby grinned instantly and reached for her mother. Freyja took her and cooed a few loving terms.

"They were little angels," Frigga assured her. "Although… Var does seem to feel neglected. I'd be happy to watch the girls anytime, if you want to take them for individual mother-daughter days."

Freyja's expression, which had been growing weary, broke into relief. She rocked Syn from side to side as the baby grabbed a fistful of her hair and stuffed it into her mouth. "Would you?"

"Of course," Frigga assured her. "I love your girls."

"Thank you."

"It's no trouble."

Freyja retrieved her hair from Syn's mouth. "I can't thank you enough. The triplets have been eating up all my time. I've been feeling so guilty, not being able to give Var and Lofn as much attention as before. And Hnossa and Idunn have been such helpers, doing far more than I have a right to ask them. It's not fair to them. And I'd never be able to cope without Frey… but that's enough of me ranting." She took a deep breath and let it go. "Thank you for your offer. I will definitely take you up on it sometime."

Frigga nodded. "Of course. Var just fell asleep not long ago."

Freyja rescued her hair from Syn again. "Would you be available to watch her for a while longer? She hasn't been sleeping at night."

"Yes. I'll bring her by when she wakes up."

"Thank you." Freyja smiled again. "Now let's get little Syn home before her temper turns. Yes, because she's the grumpiest baby I've ever had." She spoke with a playful tone, and Syn giggled as she kissed her nose.

"Grumpy?"

"Yes. None of my other girls needed to be held constantly. But Syn needs extra attention, I guess." She kissed her baby again and thanked Frigga before taking her leave.

Frigga wandered back into the nursery, and picked a book off the shelf. As she read and watched Var sleep, she couldn't help but daydream about watching her own child sleep.

#

Frigga arranged a few lilacs from her garden on the nightstand of her and Odin's wedding chambers. She hadn't been able to see him all day, he being busy with the war against Jotunheim, but she had sent him a message asking him to spend the night with her. Normally they would be in their private chambers, since they had such drastically different schedules.

"Frigga. Do you have any wine? I'm exhausted." Odin entered the room and started taking off his everyday armor.

Frigga bit her lip, moving to stand by the bedpost. She leaned against the elaborately carved wood, hoping Odin would look at her soon. She had bought a new nightdress, and was trying out a new hairstyle. She waited.

"Well?" Odin set the last of his armour on its statue. "Wine?"

"I do." Frigga's heart sunk. She moved to the wine cabinet and pulled out a bottle. "I'm afraid it's not chilled at all."

"That's fine. I just need a little something to help relax me."

Frigga glanced over her shoulder. Odin was changing into an old, ratty nightshirt. Her lips pressed together and she selected her least favourite wine. No use in wasting the good stuff on a night like this. She put out two glasses, and started to uncork the bottle. It was stuck pretty tightly.

Odin pressed his lips to the back of her neck. "Let me help with that."

His arms slipped around her waist, and she surrendered the wine bottle to him.

"Is that a new nightgown?" he asked in a low murmur.

Frigga nodded, leaning back against him. "Mmm-hmmm."

"It looks beautiful. You look beautiful." Odin uncorked the wine and poured them each a small amount. "How was your day, love?"

"It was good. I watched little Var and Syn for a while this morning. They're such sweet little girls."

"They must get it from their uncle," Odin grumbled. His eyes darkened. "Goodness knows Freyja-"

He cut off at Frigga's glare. Clearing his throat, he handed her a glass.

"How was your day?" Frigga didn't want to fight, as they so often ended up doing when Freyja came into the picture. Odin had never forgiven his sister-in-law for taking up with all the men she had instead of marrying again after the death of Ve. Freyja had never forgiven Odin for sending Ve to the battle where Laufey had killed him.

"It was productive. We have found a weakness in the Jotun's armies, which should allow us to buy a little leeway. But I don't want to talk about the war right now. I assume there was another reason you asked me here today." Odin waggled his brows at her, and leaned forward for a kiss.

"I want to try for a baby again."

Odin drew back. "We haven't been doing anything that would prevent-"

"But we haven't been trying, either." Frigga twisted her hands together. "I know we're in a war and things are in flux, but I want a baby. Odin, I want one so bad…"

"I know." He set his wine aside and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tight. "I know you do. But the fertility herbs and potions that the alchemists make leave you feeling so ill, all the time. Perhaps we should wait for a more "

Frigga's eyes filled with tears. "I just don't know what else I can do."

"Jord. The elder goddess." Odin took her hand and led her to the bed. "She's powerful, and she's the spirit of life and the creation of life. Maybe she can help us."

Frigga looked away. Jord. Freyja's mother. They had crossed paths a few times, but only briefly. In the presence of the elder goddess, one of the first beings to gain an intelligence in the universe, she always felt small and insignificant. Jord had a power that the Aesir could not begin to understand.

"You think I should go to Midgard? But aren't the Jotuns showing unusual interest in the realm these days?"

"Laufey would never be fool enough to attack Midgard," Odin said with confidence. "It's been neutral ground for the Nine Realms since the World's Tree was planted. He would be condemned at all sides if he dared trespass that sacred ground."

Frigga nodded. "Then I will go to Midgard. Tomorrow."

Odin smiled at her. "Good. Now, how about we have some of that wine and have a good sleep."

He moved back to the glasses. Frigga accepted hers without a word, and sipped slowly. It seemed the new nightgown had come to go good after all.


	2. Chapter 2

Even among the Aesir, approaching the Elder Gods was handled with caution. They were powerful, and for the most part kept to themselves, but their wars were known to have wiped out entire planets. Jord was known as a benevolent one, but Frigga wasn't going to take any chances. So when she arrived on Midgard, she went to the altar that the mortals used to summon their nature goddess, and lit a bundle of herbs. She knelt beside the altar, and whispered a few magical words that she knew Jord would hear.

After preforming the ritual, Frigga sat down on a nearby boulder to wait. When dusk, she was still waiting. It got cold quickly, and she pulled her wrap tighter around her.

Well, maybe Jord knew of the cantankerous way Odin treated Freyja, and refused to help his wife. Frigga sighed as she stood. It was a long shot, anyway. She didn't feel like returning to Asgard, to have to explain to Odin that Jord didn't arrive, and then listen to him try not to blame Freyja for it.

"Heimdall," she called. "Tell Odin that I am staying here for the night."

Trusting the all-seeing guard to do as she asked, she put her hair up into an unassuming bun, and walked towards the mortal settlement she knew was nearby. Her heart sat low in her chest.

When she arrived at the settlement, she found a tavern and took a corner booth, keeping her hood over her head. Nobody took any notice of her, until one of the serving maids came to her. The girl looked dead tired, but she smiled brightly at the queen.

"Can I get you anything?"

"Just a little bread, please."

The maid turned to leave, but then looked back at Frigga, eyes quizzical. "Do I know you?"

Frigga tugged at the hems of her sleeves self-consciously. "I don't think so. I has been many years since I have been here."

The girl gasped and dropped the jug she was carrying. She backed up a few steps, and Frigga sighed. She lowered her hood, and the girl dropped to her knees in the mess on the floor.

"Allmother!" she gasped again. This time, people around stopped talking. They looked quizzically at Frigga, and slowly the whole place fell silent. Frigga repressed another sigh. She would never understand how mortals in this area instantly recognized her. She stood and helped the girl to her feet.

"There is no need for ceremony." Judging by the way the girl's knees bent, as though she wanted to go back down, Frigga's words meant very little. She sighed. "Please, I am not here for any reason other than to spend a little time among you."

It was close enough to the truth. She smiled at the girl, then led her to the table.

"My lady," she said awkwardly.

"Sit and rest a moment," Frigga told her. "I will clean the mess."

The girl's jaw dropped, but Frigga would hear none of the protests. She retrieved an apron from the kitchen, and spent the rest of the night waiting on the tables. Everybody stared, and some people were so stunned that they couldn't even order. Soon, the tavern with packed, though it was so quiet Frigga could hear every squeak of the chairs. She talked in low voices with all of them, and when the kitchen fell behind in the orders, they seemed to be content just listening to her tell stories about the going ons in Asgard.

When she noticed the kitchen staff looking dead tired, she announced that it was time for everybody to go to their homes, but that she would be around the next day as well. Reluctantly, the people parted. Frigga looked for the serving girl. She was asleep at a table.

Frigga let her sleep, and helped clean the tavern, though as soon as she started working so did all the mortals gathered, and the work was quickly over. Then she went to her server and gently woke her.

"Where do you live, child?" she asked as the girl blinked and yawned.

"Upstairs, with my little one." The girl went bright red and looked around wildly. "My lady, I know it's out of my place, but my child is sick. I will—"

Frigga closed her hand over the girl's. "Take me to the child. I will do what I can."

The girl led her upstairs, while Frigga marveled that somebody so young could be a mother. The birth must have been very dangerous! But, she supposed as a tavern maid the girl must have felt that she had no other choice. Frigga set her lips together, checking her pockets. She only had a little gold, but it would be enough to help this poor girl get a better life for herself and her child.

The child's face was flushed pink, brown curls a mess around her little face. She was sleeping when Frigga entered, little lips chapped and raw, face tearstained. The serving girl, whose name was Alvida, went to the bed and gently woke her child. Frigga sat beside her, and put a hand on the child's head.

"How long has she been sick?"

"Nearly two weeks now. She hardly drinks, and won't eat anything."

The little girl began whimpering, and her mother tried to soothe her. Frigga smiled at the child. It was simple illness to fix.

"Relax, beautiful," Frigga told her, and reached into her pocket for the healing stone she always carried with her. She crushed it, and sprinkled the dust over the child. The little girl sneezed violently a few times, and coughed, her whole body shaking. Her little fingers tightened in her mother's sleeve, and Frigga rubbed her back.

Once the sneezing and coughing was over, Frigga eyed her. The stone had worked. The unnatural red flush in her face was fading, replaced by a more healthy pink. Her breathing became smoother, and she took a deep breath.

"Do you feel better?"

The child nodded.

"Thank you, my lady," Alvida said.

"It was my pleasure. Now she and you both should get some sleep." Frigga glanced around. "Is there someplace where I can stay?"

"My lady, I'm sorry. I didn't think—" Alvida flushed. "You can of course take the bed."

"I am not taking your bed from you," Frigga said, so firmly Alvida didn't argue. Instead, she went to the tavern owner, who found a clean bed for the queen.

After she was left alone, Frigga opened the window, and Muninn flew in. He landed on her shoulder and pulled a piece of her hair through his beak. Frigga stroked his glossy black feathers. She sat on the bed, thinking about her day. What could she tell the raven? He would take the news back to Asgard, no question about that.

"I haven't been able to contact Jord," she said eventually. "I am going to stay a while. The mortals appear in rough shape this year. I'll do a few simple spells to help them. Banish fleas and ticks. Discourage rodents from entering their food stores. Do what healing I can. I'm not ready to give up just yet."

She moved the raven off her shoulder, and closed the window before she undressed and climbed into bed. Muninn made a humming noise, and despite the crushing disappointment of the day, Frigga fell asleep quickly.

#

The next few days, Frigga did as she planned, doing small magical favours for the mortals. She was rarely alone, with the whole village often gathering wherever she was. She managed to get them rallied together for many tasks, such as repairing an elderly couple's house, digging a garden for a couple with a few young children, and making soap and doing laundry for the whole village.

Near the end of the day, she went for a walk through the woods, telling the mortals that she needed some time to herself.

The woods were cool and fresh, the feeling relaxing Frigga's shoulders. She had worked hard to forget about the failed mission of why she went to Midgard in the first place. The air felt good, though, and she breathed deeply, letting her disappointment go.

"Hello, Queen Frigga."

Frigga whipped around. Behind her was a woman that looked exactly like Freyja. Golden hair, sparkling blue eyes, creamy skin. She even looked the same age as Freyja, rather than looking like her mother. She wore a white and green dress which showed off her hourglass figure. Frigga nodded to her.

"Jord. I didn't think you would come."

Jord shrugged. "I am here now. So. You have something to ask me?"

The elder goddess linked her arm through Frigga's, and they continued to walk through the pines. Squirrels chirruped and birds sang to each other.

"Well?" Jord pressed after Frigga was silent for a long moment.

Frigga ducked her head. "Has Freyja told you that my husband and I are childless?"

"No. Freyja doesn't speak about others so much. She has told me that you are a great friend to her, however." Jord smiled. "She speaks very highly of you. And from what I have seen today, it is well-deserved praise."

"Thank you."

"But you came because you are childless."

Frigga nodded. "Nothing that our palace alchemists have offered has helped. I have tried everything, from Norn spells to old wives' tales for increasing fertility. Nothing has helped. I don't know what else to do. Is there anything you can do?"

"I can't tell from a glance. I'll have to do an examination. Fertility isn't as straightforward as some people think."

"Freyja seems to do alright."

Jord smiled and patted Frigga's hand. "We're not here to talk about Freyja. Her biology is different from yours, that's all there is to it."

The Elder Goddess led her to a cave that looked like it had been grown rather than carved. The formations were smooth, with perfect dips and gullies for a small trickle of water to create a washing basin, a drinking fountain, and a foot bath. All around the top of the cave were mirrors, that caught the light of the sun and lit the place up as brightly as outside. A bed came out of the wall, made with a mattress of thick curly moss.

Jord told Frigga to take off her dress, and did a quick examination. It was less invasive than previous examinations that she had undergone by other people, and as such less uncomfortable. Jord directed her to dress again, and went to a shelf, looking through some dried herbs.

Frigga sat on the moss bed, waiting. Eventually, Jord turned back.

"I cannot tell you why you have not conceived," the elder goddess said. "There appears no reason for it. Have you considered it may be Odin?"

"We did." Frigga flushed. "But the tests proved otherwise."

"Then perhaps you two are simply not compatible on that level," Jord replied. She put an arm around Frigga. "I can tell you that I sense a child in your future. You may just need patience."

"I'm out of patience!" Frigga pulled away and started pacing. "I have waited decades, watching all my friends get married and have beautiful babies. I want to hold a baby in my arms. I want him to call me Mother, and I want to wipe away his tears, and soothe his nightmares. I want - I _need_ to be a mother! I'm tired of waiting, isn't there _anything_ you can do?"

Jord was silent for a moment. "There may be a way. But it will require a sacrifice."

"I'll do anything," Frigga swore. "What is it?"

Jord stood, and took her hands and squeezed. "I can't increase your fertility without risking your health severely. I will not do that. But."

Frigga held her breath, waiting.

"But I can provide Odin with an heir myself."

The breath wooshed out of Frigga's chest as though she had been punched. She stared, pulling her hands away. "What?"

"It would be a similar situation as I have with Freyja and Frey. I conceived them as Njord's heirs, and after they were weaned they were sent to Vanaheim to live with him and his wife, Skaldi. She raised them, and what their mother as much as I am. We could have the same relationship."

Frigga opened her mouth and closed it. How could Jord even think that was an option? Encouraging her husband to sleep with another woman? No! She got to her feet. "Thank you for your time," she mumbled, and fled the cave. As soon as she was out, she looked to the sky. "Heimdall! Open the bifrost."

The last thing she saw was Jord standing in the cave entrance, head tilted to the side, her arms crossed. Looking beautiful and flawless, just like Freyja.


	3. Chapter 3

Frigga packed the soil around the roots of a rosebush she had just transplanted. She worked to distract herself from Jord's proposal, but it kept coming back to her mind. Odin hadn't asked her about why she had returned to Asgard so suddenly, and so she thought he must know. The ravens were probably watching, and told him.

How dare that woman ask her to tell her husband to go to another woman's bed? To make it worse, it was Freyja's mother, and a woman who looked exactly like Freyja! What nerve did Jord have, to think that Frigga was that desperate?

Frigga dug her fingers into the soil, digging a hole for a second rosebush. The dirt clung under her nails, building into little mats.

"Can I help?" Odin knelt beside her, and she jumped.

Recovering quickly, Frigga nodded. "Hand me the water bucket?"

He reached over and picked it up while Frigga put her rose into the earth and packed soil solidly around it. Odin poured a little water over it and the bush that was just planted as Frigga sat back on her heels.

"Usually you put the water in the hole before you plant your flowers," Odin remarked, his voice calm. "Are you alright?"

Frigga shook her head, using the back of her wrist to wipe strands of hair from the perspiration on her forehead. "I thought you were going to be busy all day with… you know. The war."

"I am waiting on information. Tyr has been silent of late, and it worries me. I cannot act until I know what the Norn queen's stance on the matter is. The Jotuns have been quiet of late, though. Laufey is either regathering his forced, or he is planning a large-scale attack. It worries me. But," he kissed her neck, nibbling at her collarbone, "I thought now is the time we can take to be with each other."

Frigga leaned into him as he put his arms around her.

"So," Odin murmured into her ear, "what did Jord say? Muninn told me that she approached you, but he couldn't follow."

Frigga repressed a shiver. "She says that there is nothing wrong with me, and that we just have to have patience."

Odin's arms tightened. "Then it must be me. The alchemists are wrong, it has to be me."

"I don't know. She says that she saw a child in my future." She pulled away and smiled. "We just have to be patient, love. We just have to be patient."

Odin nodded. "Of course. Patience. If nothing else, when Hnossa has a child I can name that baby my heir. She is Ve's daughter, and so still my bloodline."

"Hnossa does not plan to have children," Frigga told him. "She's afraid that she'll pass her mortality on to whatever child she may have."

Odin stood, and pulled Frigga to her feet. "We'll explain the situation to her, and ask for her to set aside her fears."

"And what if her child is mortal, as she is?"

"Hnossa's immortality is not her heritage. It's more of an illness, Frigga. It won't be passed onto her children. The palace alchemists have promised me this." Odin squeezed her hands, but Frigga pulled them away.

"They also promised Freyja they could cure Hnossa."

Odin sighed.

Frigga took a few steps away, touching the petals of the bright-coloured flowers that were getting ready to bloom. She wasn't going to accept Jord's offer, of course, but she also wasn't going to pressure Hnossa into doing something that she didn't want to do. There would be other avenues, other paths to pursue. Patience. That was all she needed.

"Frigga?"

"I can't ask that of Hnossa, not when mortal childbirth is so dangerous."

"Then I'll ask her." Odin sounded exasperated now. "It's ultimately her decision, but there is no harm in asking her if she will consider the possibility."

Frigga turned. "Odin—"

"Frigga. We're not asking her to give up her life. We're asking her to consider the possibility of having a child, to rule Asgard if you and I never have an heir ourselves. And if she says no, then she says no, and we'll leave it at that."

Frigga wiped her grimy hands on her skirt. "You do realise that if she agrees, the child will have Freyja for a grandmother, and since Hnossa is close to her mother, the child will probably pick up a lot from her."

"It's not Freyja I dislike, it's her actions and attitude—"

"Which is what makes Freyja Freyja."

Odin shook his head. "We are not going to talk about Freyja. My feelings towards her are very clear, but I've never let it stand in the way of my relationship with Hnossa, have I? Now do you want to be with me when I ask her to consider having a child, or would you rather I go alone?"

Frigga hesitated a moment, then shrugged and sighed. "I'll come with you."

#

Freyja had lived in the palace for years. She still owned the chambers that had been given to her when she first moved to Asgard, as well as Ve's rooms, and the ones that had been granted to them both after their marriage.

After the birth of Freyja's second oldest, Idunn, tensions had rose between Freyja and Odin – the king thought his sister-in-law was spitting on his late brother's grave with her carrying-ons, and having a half-dwarf baby just proved it in his mind. In order to keep the peace, Freyja moved out of the palace, and into a five-bedroom home some distance away. At first, she lived there with her daughters and brother, but over time more daughters were added and Frey moved to a house just outside the city – a move Frigga thought was partly motivated by the rumours that Freyja's subsequent girls were his daughters as well.

Frigga always knew that such rumours were ridiculous, though she didn't know why Freyja didn't do more to curb them. Her lifestyle was something else, however; surely having liaisons with men she never met put her daughters in danger, even if she insisted that they never come near her house.

When Odin and Frigga walked up the steps to Freyja's house, Frigga was surprised to hear it utterly quiet inside.

"It's usually louder than this," she mentioned to Odin.

"With seven children, of course it is," Odin replied. He eyed the door warily. Frigga took his hand and squeezed it, knowing he was afraid Freyja might be around. He knocked on the door and Hnossa answered.

"Uncle," she greeted warmly, embracing Odin. "I got your message and asked Mother to take my sisters somewhere else, so that you and I could talk in peace."

Odin patted her back. "Thank you. It is a rather serious matter."

Hnossa embraced Frigga, then led them into the parlour. Frigga settled on a blue couch, tugging Odin to sit beside her.

"Would you like some tea?" Hnossa asked, smoothing her brown skirt while her hands fluttered about nervously.

"No, thank you," Odin said. "Sit down, Hnossa."

She sat.

Frigga smiled at her, though she could see the nerves in her niece's eyes.

"You know that Frigga and I have thus far been unable to have a child," Odin began. He spoke confidently, without a trace of hesitation. "It may never happen. You are Ve's daughter, and as such, part of the royal line. I know you have doubts about having a child, but for the good of Asgard, perhaps you should try. Right now, any child you would have would be heir to the throne."

Hnossa nodded. Her blue eyes were steady and sharp, her hands clasped lightly over her knees. She looked so beautiful, healthy and whole it was hard to believe that her lifespan would be over in a few short decades.

"No, Uncle," she said, her voice firm. "I will not have a child. For the good of Asgard or not, I will not put a man through the pain of being my husband, and I will not risk bringing a child into the world, when chances are it will suffer my fate. If we lived among the mortals on Midgard, perhaps, but when I look as old as my mother, when I will be an old woman before her? I hate it, and sometimes I hate her for giving birth to me."

Frigga's stomach twisted in knots as Hnossa spoke. When the young woman stood, so did she and Odin. Hnossa smiled at them both, as though apologising for what she was saying.

"Your heir doesn't have to be of your blood. Perhaps you should think of adoption."

"Hnossa, I know it's frightening," Odin said softly. "But if risks were never taken—"

"I said no." Blue eyes flashed. "I won't discuss this anymore. You don't think my mother has tried to change my mind? People say I'm stubborn like her."

Odin smiled sadly and shook his head. "This discussion is over, then. Thank you for hearing me out, Hnossa. You know you are always welcome in the palace."

"I do, Uncle." Hnossa hugged him. "My father's day is coming up soon. Will you and Mother be discussing the details of who will be his host?"

"I suppose we will start soon," Odin replied. "I have asked for volunteers."

Hnossa nodded. Frigga wanted to ask her if she had any ideas, but she had long ago bowed out of the decision making process. Probably because she got tired of listening to Odin and Frigga bicker about everything, and debate over how many hours each individual would have in the day that Ve's spirit would return for one day.

Odin hugged Hnossa again. "People say you look like your mother, but you have your father's eyes and ears. Your nose, too, is like Ve's."

"You always say that." Hnossa rolled her eyes, but smiled as she escorted them out.

As she and Odin walked back to the palace, Frigga was silent. She had been so wrapped up in what she wanted and what she needed that she hadn't really considered the implications of the fact that Odin was heirless. Even if he named a successor outside of his bloodline, the fact was that without an heir, his place as Allfather and king of Asgard was at risk. His political enemies could use that fact as a way to challenge his right to the throne. Children and a continued bloodline were too important to the Aesir to be taken lightly; thrones could be won or lost depending on how many children a king could produce, whether legitimate or not.

"You're awfully quiet." Odin put his arm around her and pressed his lips to her temple. "I have cousins. Bor had many sisters. And I'm sure with some effort I could dig up a brother or two he never knew he sired."

Frigga shook her head. "Do what you must."

"I know. It doesn't make you a mother. But Hnossa has a point. We can adopt. And that way, we can ensure we have a son or a daughter. I would love to see you teaching our little girl magic."

"Yes. We can adopt." Frigga's heart remained heavy. While she was certain that she would love an adopted child just as much as a child she carried and gave birth to, she was always taught that a wife's worth was counted by how many children she could give her husband. Adoption was never talked of when her mother told her what she needed to do to be a virtuous and valuable woman. "We can adopt."

"A child from a noble family," Odin continued. "So he or she can be my heir."

"And if we adopt a girl, and then I give birth to a boy? Or we adopt a boy, and I give birth to a girl? What then?"

"Then our natural child will become ruler of Asgard."

Frigga thought about how that would make their adopted child jealous, how it could set her natural and adopted children against each other. She shrugged. "Maybe we shouldn't adopt. Maybe we should just wait."

Odin nodded, through his expression remained worried. "In any case, let's put the matter from our minds at the moment. Why don't you get that pretty new nightgown you wore before you went to Midgard and meet me in our wedding chambers? I have a surprise for you."

Frigga wasn't much in the mood for surprises or her nightgown, but she so rarely got to spent time with her husband these days, so she nodded. Odin brushed his lips against hers, smiled, and squeezed her hand. She smiled back, and made her departure.


	4. Chapter 4

It took several days before Frigga told Odin exactly what Jord had suggested, and only then because she was tired of his gentle hints that maybe she go back to try again. When she told him that Jord suggested that she bear Odin's child and give it to Frigga to raise, he became very silent.

"Did she really?" His voice was soft when he finally spoke.

Frigga nodded and sat in front of her vanity dresser. She started to brush her hair, watching Odin in the mirror. He folded his arms, lips drawn thin, and eyes narrowed.

"That woman thinks very highly of herself. Asking a woman to tell her husband to sleep with her? Impregnate her? That may work with some disgusting pig like Njord, but—"

"But it's not going to happen, and so there is no use ranting about it." Frigga turned and squeezed his hand. "She did say she saw a child in my future. So we just have to be patient. What is it you always say? The patient viper gets the mouse, the reckless mouse gets eaten."

Odin grumbled a moment. "I don't _always_ say that."

"I just mean that we don't need to get upset about this. It's over and done with. And you have an important meeting to. I'll see you for lunch?"

He kissed her. "I'll be in my study."

Frigga nodded, and returned to getting ready for the day.

#

"And how many bandages do we have to send?" Frigga stood in the healing rooms, surveying the supplies that the women of Asgard had been making. Even children were involved in the war effort, collecting herbs and spider webs to give to the healers.

Eir stood beside her, looking utterly worn out. Her usual severe bun was falling out, revealing that her hair was more of a gradient of dark tones, rather than the grey it usually looked. The head healer also surveyed the supplies, but she didn't look happy. Picking up a bundle of bandages, she shook her head and replaced it.

"We need more healers, not bandages. We need the bandages as well, of course, but we lost five of our experienced healers in the last week. I don't know what to do. On one hand, inexperienced healers on the battlefield means good soldiers die. On the other, we need to keep the experienced ones here, to train new recruits." Eir fell silent for a moment. "And you need to get your husband to give me a higher budget. There has to be incentive for young people to join the healing ranks, and I just don't have it."

Frigga nodded, her stomach twisting. "I will talk to him. The war is just costing so much already. In lies as well as gold."

Eir sighed and smoothed some of her brittle hair. "I do not need to be reminded of that, my queen. If you'll excuse me, I have work to do."

As Eir moved off, Frigga massaged her temples. The war had been waging for decades now, and the toll had sent Asgard deep into debt to many other worlds. Nornheim, especially. Karnilla had been very generous, opening her coffers, but Frigga feared they would pay more than just interest on the returns. But that was for another day. Now, Frigga needed to make sure all the supplies were being sent to the correct locations, and make a careful inventory to make sure none went mysteriously missing.

She had been working for quite some time when Hnossa found her. Her niece's expression was frustrated, the look that usually meant Freyja had done something to embarrass her.

"Can I talk to you, Aunt?"

"Of course." Frigga pulled Hnossa to another room, so their conversation wouldn't be overheard. "What has your mother done now?"

"Mor hasn't done anything. It's somebody else."' Hnossa folded her arms, scowling deeply. When she did that, her father's side shone through very clearly. She looked very much like Odin on a bad day. Frigga couldn't recall Ve every being cross for any length of time, but the rest of Bor's family held grudges as though they were lifeboats. "One of Odin's cousins cornered me in the market yesterday. They talked all smooth and whatnot and invited me to tea today. Halfway through talking about the war effort, and she starts talking about her strapping young son, and what a fine military leader he was."

Frigga could see where this was going, but she kept quiet and nodded for Hnossa to continue.

"I guess my response wasn't favourable enough, because she came right out and said that if I married him, we'd have a strong claim to the throne."

Frigga sighed. "I think I know who it was. I'm sorry, Hnossa. But—"

"But without an heir, Odin's relatives are hoping to be able to put on of their sons on the throne, I know. And I hope the glass of wine I splashed in that woman's face will get the word out that I will not be used as a pawn in this political game of chess." Hnossa's scowl deepened.

"Why did you have wine at tea? Never mind. Thank you for telling me. I didn't think they were quite this bold, yet."

Frigga lapsed into silence. It was very troubling that Odin's cousins would go so far as to approach Hnossa in their plans, but then, the war was not going well. They were not being driven back, but every victory was hard-won, and the people's sentiments were turning against Odin; even though Laufey was the one to break the treaty between their worlds, the same people who had praised the decision to take on the Jotunns were now decrying Odin for taking them to war. Dead sons would do that to anyone. And since Odin was leading the major battles, people were asking themselves who would reign after him if he fell.

"Aunt, I wish I could do more." Hnossa touched her arm. "I even considered going back on what I said. Marrying and having a child for Odin's heir. But I can't."

Frigga nodded. Hnossa had been engaged, once, to a man who loved her dearly. Then one day she had fallen ill and was fevered for three days. He stayed by her side, and when the sickness broke, she sent him away. Freyja later told Frigga that her fever made Hnossa realise how fragile she was, and that was when she decided she would never marry of have children.

Frigga smiled at Hnossa. "We'll figure something out. The stability of Asgard is what is important right now. We have to be united in the face of this war."

Hnossa nodded. "I should find Eir and see if I can help at all."

"Is that wise?" Frigg blurted before she could stop herself. "I mean, being here with the wounded and sick. You could catch something."

Hnossa's eyes flashed and she tossed her head. "I will let Eir decide on that, my queen. I am not made of glass, and I can wind bandages if nothing else!"

"Yes. Of course. I'm sorry. But you do have to remember that you're mortal and—"

"Mother reminds me of that every time I do something where I might get injured or sick. Trust me, there is no way I can forget the fact that I am mortal." Hnossa's tone was frosty now. "Now. If you'll excuse me."

Frigga sighed as Hnossa marched away. She allowed herself to be distracted for only a few more minutes before she shook her head and returned to work.

#

When Frigga collected a basket of food from the kitchens to take to Odin, she slipped in an extra cookie. He had probably worked through breakfast, and would need an extra boost. Her mind was distracted by everything that was happening as she walked to his study, and she hoped that they would talk about something other than heirs and wars and babies.

Now wouldn't be the best time for a child, anyway, she reasoned. Any child Odin had would be an instant target for Laufey. She thought of the mothers she had seen weeping over their dead sons and shivered. No. She could not survive that.

"Queen Frigga," a voice behind her greeted.

Frigga turned to see Tyr, one of Odin's closest friends. He was somewhat taller than the king, with broad shoulders, dark shaggy hair, and grey eyes that always seemed to cut through whatever he looked at. He was the best warrior Asgard had, as well as being a fine diplomat. Frigga nodded in greeting.

"Going to see Odin?" she asked.

"Yes. I see you were hoping for a quiet lunch together. Unfortunately, I have news that cannot wait just yet." Tyr shrugged apologetically, making the messenger's bag on his shoulder bounce, and they walked together to the study.

Odin didn't look up as they entered, scribbling quickly on a piece of parchment. Frigga went to the small table by the window and started setting out the food, roast boar meat with potatoes and carrots. A bit hearty meal for her tastes, but Odin liked his meat, and he liked to feel satisfied after eating. Tyr, however, went right to the desk and knocked on it.

"What a way to greet your friend newly returned from Nornhiem!"

Odin looked up, and a grin blossomed over his face. He set his quill down and jumped up. The friends embraced, thumping each other's backs.

"Tyr, you devil!" Odin shook his head. "I take it your mission was successful, then?"

"It was," Tyr replied. He set the messenger bag on the table and pulled out a box. Frigga didn't know what it was, but Odin seemed to be quite pleased and he nodded in satisfaction. "Good, good. Well, this will be of great help to the war effort. You have done Aagard proud."

"Odin," Frigga interrupted. "Lunch?"

"Ah, yes. Thank you." He turned to Tyr. "Will you join me?"

Tyr eyed the spread. "That doesn't seem like enough for three."

"Frigga usually doesn't eat much, do you?" Odin smiled at her.

Frigga smiled back, although she was annoyed. Odin clearly didn't seem to have the same necessity to be alone with her as she did. And with Tyr here, all they would talk about was the war. She shook her head and told them she wasn't much hungry. As she headed for the door, though, Tyr made such a fuss about not wanting to make her leave that she was forced to stay and nibble at a carrot while the men downed their meals and discussed the great victories Asgard had, and which young men were in line for great honours.

"The healers need honours, too," Frigga broke in. "They leave Asgard and put themselves in dangers just as the soldiers, only most of them are young women with little combat training."

Odin laughed. "A healer's honour is in the scars of the soldiers they care for. And they aren't in the heat of battle like our young men."

"And yet they still die," Frigga argued. "Eir is having a terrible time recruiting new healers. There is just no incentive for people to risk their lives for a profession that receives nothing in return. And there must be healers on the battlefield. Tyr, how many times have you required the aid of healers?"

"More than I can count," the warrior admitted. "But Frigga, listen to yourself. How would it be if a girl with no combat skills was given a title that is only meant to be given to the most hardy of warriors instead of a man who lead the charge into battle?"

"I don't mean to take honors from soldiers to give them to healers, but surely men who can forge alliances and set battles in motion can think up a prize or two for a healer who saves the lives of the soldiers that would otherwise be sent to their deaths," Frigga replied sharply. She glared at Tyr and her husband, but they only seemed amused by her outburst.

"I shall think on it," Odin said, waving his hand to dismiss the subject. "Let's talk of something else."

"Yes," Tyr agreed. His face suddenly became grave. "Odin, there is no easy way to say this, so I am going to come right out and say it. I've sold my soul."

Odin, a portion of meat halfway to his mouth, lowered his hand again. Frigg clenched her hands. First they treat the healers as a joke, and then this nonsense?

"Really, Tyr?" she asked scathingly. "And how did you do that?"

"I consorted with Karnilla, the Norn Queen. She now carries my child."

Frigga's jaw dropped. She stared at Tyr.

The warrior sighed heavily and ran a hand through his dark hair. "I know you're going to say that it's not mine, Odin, but believe me. It is. Whatever you think, Karnilla would not lie about that."

"So what are you going to do?" Odin asked slowly.

Tyr snorted. "I am going to take the child when it is born. I will raise it, and I will be a good father."

Frigga shook her head. "Tyr, I'm sorry. I wouldn't have been—"

"It's alright." Tyr smiled at her. "It was a shock when Karnilla told me. In fact, she only told me because I had impressed her and she wanted to give me the chance to take the child. Otherwise, it would not be born."

The thought chilled Frigga and she looked away. Why did some women who didn't want babies get them, while she wanted a baby so bad and didn't have one?

Odin stood. "Tyr, you said you sold your soul."

"Yes. I have agreed to return to Nornheim regularly and be Karnilla's consort in exchange for her carrying the child to term. Don't give me that look," Tyr warned his friend. "I want to be a father, and I don't care that the Norn witch will be the mother of my child. It will be my child. And if I should fall in battle before it is born, I want you to make sure that it receives a good life. Promise me, my friend."

As Odin promised, Frigga sat in silence. Tyr, a father. He would be good at it, she thought. He was patient and kind with the children he trained, and he had a streak of good humour that would help in raising a child. But still. Tyr.

She looked at Odin, and she thought she saw jealousy as he turned to conversation to other things. She imagined him holding a child, the baby smiling and struggling to say "Da." She imagined him with a little boy, playing swordfights, and with a little girl reading a story. She imagined her husband as a father, rather than herself as a mother, and she felt something tug in her heart. She knew she had made her decision.

Odin would have a child by Jord. An heir was needed, yes, but more than that they needed a child in their lives. She closed her eyes, trying not to imagine Odin and Jord twined together in the process to get her pregnant. She thought instead of Odin rocking the baby to sleep, and took a deep breath.

Now all she had to do was convince him it was the right road to take.


	5. Chapter 5

"No. Absolutely not."

Odin paced back and forth in their wedding chambers, fists clenched, not looking at Frigga. A vein pulsed in his forehead, and every muscle in his body seemed strained. Frigga sat quietly on the bed, waiting for him to either calm down or blow up. Either way, they wouldn't be able to have a conversation while he paced like that. If he calmed down, then perhaps they'd have the conversation now. If he blew up…

Well. She'd go back to her own chambers and give him a few days before bringing up the subject again.

She hadn't expected a different reaction, really, and honestly she was relieved that he was angry at her suggestion that they accept Jord's offer to bear a child to Odin. It helped her at least feel better about it. If he had been eager, she didn't know how she would have reacted.

"How can you even think that's acceptable?" Odin ranted, flinging his hands into the air. "I love you, I vowed never to have another woman besides you. I have /never/ been that sort of man. Every woman I have ever been in a relationship with—"

"I know," Frigga interrupted gently. "You have always been honest and faithful, Odin. And I love you, too. Which is why it's so difficult for me to think this way. But—"

"No. No buts. I am _not_ sleeping with Jord!"

Frigga too the tie from the end of her braid and loosened her hair. She wasn't sure where to go from here. Her stomach knotted– she felt like this was for certain the right path to take, but how could she let Odin know how she felt. He came up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Frigga, if you want a child so badly, we will adopt."

"It's not just that anymore, Odin. It's that your rule in unstable, and you need a blood heir. It's that I want to see you as a father, and I want to hold your child in my arms." She clasped his hand in hers. "Odin, I was angry when Jord suggested it, I thought there was no way I could ever accept that. But my mind changed itself. I know it's the right thing to do. But it's your choice. I won't say anymore about it, if you say you don't want to talk about it again."

He knelt beside her and hid his face in her lap. Frigga stroked her husband's hair. Was this the right choice? Yes, it had to be. Stability could only do good, and the people would see Odin had bright hopes for the future. A royal child would rally the troops, wouldn't it?

"I just don't want to lose you, Frigga."

She raised his head and smiled. "Odin, if you choose to do this, I know why. And since I am encouraging you to follow Jord's suggestion, doesn't that mean that I understand the consequences? Yo won't lose me, my love."

Odin kissed her, closing his eyes. He nodded and rested his forehead on hers. "Then we will return to Midgard in three days. You can change your mind at any time, and I will do as you wish. But will you be able to love a child, when every time you look on it you see me with another woman?"

Frigga kissed him, pulling him close. "Odin, I love you. And I will love your child with all my heart."

He nodded slowly, offering her a smile. "But what if the child ends up looking like Freyja? People will know."

"No," Frigga replied swiftly. "They'll think you slept with Freyja, not Jord!"

Odin stared at her blankly for a moment, but when she started giggling, he smiled. "Yes. That they will." He stood. "Three days?"

"There is no point in delaying."

"Yes, there is. I want to give you time to really think about this, Frigga. Once it's done—"

"Odin. I know." Frigga returned to unbraiding her hair. "Three days then."

#

It was a chilly day on Midgard, and Frigga buried her hands in her fur muff, while she walked with Odin to the place of summoning. Both walked with firm steps, clothed in their warm wools and fur-lined cloaks. Frigga imagined they made a striking pair, her husband with his broad shoulders and muscular frame, she with her colourful dress, and her hair curled and brushed.

Jord waited for them at the place of summoning, and Frigga instantly felt like a child playing dress-up. The Elder Goddess wore a low-cut gown that was sleeveless and flowing, as if it was a warm summer day. Her hair was loose, with flowers woven into it. Her dress was belted high at the waist, showing off her figure.

"Welcome, Allfather and Allmother of Asgard."

Frigga reached for Odin's hand. "Jord. How did you know we would come?"

Jord stood and offered a mysterious, knowing smile. "I saw that you would come. Come. It's cold out today."

Odin squeezed Frigga's hand as Jord walked past them, but he didn't move to follow. "My lady."

Jord stopped and turned back. "Yes?"

"Legend says that you know the instant you conceive."

"That is true."

"Then you will be able to tell immediately if this is successful." Odin's voice was stiff, and though he looked at Jord, Frigga thought his stare was too intense, too… accusing. She put her free hand on his arm, trying to silently get him to be more gentle. It wasn't as thought the woman was attacking them. Odin glanced at her, and took a deep breath. "I apologise for my tone."

Jord stepped forward and put a hand on his shoulder. "I understand your feelings on the matter. To be honest if you weren't reluctant I would not allow this. I have made mistakes in the past, and these days I have a few more rules as to what sort of man I choose."

"Mistakes?" Frigga asked, then flushed. The elder goddess would think her pushy and not minding her own business.

Jord's lips twisted slightly. "You have met Njord, haven't you?"

Frigga winced. Diplomacy forbade her from saying what she truly thought of the Vanir king most times. But she knew enough about him to know he was a complete cad. It really did not surprise her that both Freyja and Frey had chosen to leave Vanaheim; they might talk about having better opportunities and wanting to stay near each other for the sake of Freyja's girls, but it was obvious they were fleeing their father.

"I used to only care about what women would be step-mothers to my children," Jord continued. "And I will be honest. It's still my most important criteria."

Frigga felt her cheeks warm. "So you were testing me, before?"

"No. I was looking into the future. I already knew enough about you from Freyja. My daughter is not easily fooled, and she does not trust or love easily. She never has. But you are a true friend to her, and I know she is not the easiest person to get along with."

Odin shifted. Frigga tensed. If he said anything about Freyja now, it was all over.

Jord's gaze moved to Odin now, and she smirked, as though she knew what was going on in his mind. "Yes, I know you're not exactly on pleasant terms with her, Allfather. But despite how much she rants about you being a pig-headed, arrogant, generally unlikable person, Frey has only good things to say about you, and Frey is not nearly as biased as Freyja is. He tends to see things more objectively."

Frigga and Odin were silent after that, though they still held each other's hands tightly. Jord lead them to the mossy cave where she had given Frigga the examination. It still looked beautiful, and Frigga found herself wondering if this was where Jord would conceive Odin's baby.

"Sit down," Jord said, and the couple sat together.

Odin put an arm around Frigga.

"Can I get you anything to eat or drink?"

"No, thank you," Odin said.

Jord nodded and sat on a log opposite them. "Now. I'm sure you have discuss this, but I have rules that I always stick to."

Frigga shifted, looking out of the cave. They hadn't discussed it at all, except to agree it would happen. Outside, the sky was clear and blue. If it was at night, she might be able to find Asgard as a star in the sky, but as it was, there was nothing. Where was home? And Vanaheim. Her homeworld. It had been years since she had last been there, since her relationship with her family wasn't exactly the best. They never approved of her marriage to Odin, and she thought that despite all they said against him they still enjoyed the benefits of her marriage too much.

"What rules exactly?" Odin asked, bringing Frigga back to the present.

"The first one is that the moment I feel that I have conceived, that is it. We are done, and there is nothing more between us."

"Agreed," Odin said, voice calm. "I was going to say that myself."

"Good. Second is our arrangement for the raising of the child. I will not be cut out from my child's life, but I know that he must live in Asgard, to be aware of your customs, and to be near his father. So the child will stay with me until he is weaned, and then he will go to Asgard, but I will still visit regularly. He will know me as his mother, even if you wish for the general populace to believe him to be Frigga's child."

Odin frowned. "As long as Freyja doesn't know until the child is old enough to understand. Knowing her—" He cut off.

Jord nodded. "Fair enough."

"But I don't think this is a good idea," Frigga interjected. "I mean, if the baby lives here with you until he is weaned, and then is suddenly taken to Asgard, that will be a terrible stress. He won't know anything about it, he won't know anybody there." _He won't know me._

Jord nodded. "Yes. Which is why I will need you to stay with me."

Frigga's jaw dropped.

"I am a goddess of life, but that doesn't mean I can carry, deliver and raise a child in isolation. I will need help during my pregnancy, and after the child is born I will be tired and will still need help. It will also give you a chance to bond with the baby, to help the transition from here to Asgard."

Frigga nodded. "Alright. That makes sense. But I don't know if I can stay away from Asgard that long. I have duties—"

"And if you want the people to think you are the child's mother, how are you going to convince them if they see you every day? There are changes that happen during pregnancy that can't be faked."

Odin squeezed her hand. "I'll tell my advisors that you remained on Midgard to keep the Jotunns from knowing you are pregnant. They'll understand. Laufey…"

"But what I do is important. Who is going to organise the healer's supplies and make sure that Eir has everything she needs?"

"Eir will." Odin patted her hand. "You've been working hard and deserve a break."

Jord looked between the two of them and stood. "It's time. We need to maximize our chances of getting pregnant quickly. Now will give us the best chance for it to happen on the first time."

She held out her hand to Odin. Frigga held her breath. When Odin looked at her, she nodded stiffly. He released her hand, and took Jord's. He stood, and Jord smiled. She tugged at him, and he stepped closer to her. Odin started to turn to look at Frigga, still sitting where he left her, but didn't. Frigga opened her mouth to tell him that she loved him, but didn't.

Jord looked over her shoulder. "We'll be back soon," she promised, and Frigga nodded stiffly.


	6. Chapter 6

Frigga paced from one end of the cave to the next. It had not been long since Odin had left with Jord. Half an hour, maybe. She couldn't get the images of the twined together out of her mind. She tried to tell herself that it was alright, that they would just do what needed to be done, and then Odin would come back to her. It was a matter of duty, not desire. And she had been the one to push Odin into this choice! She had no right to these feelings of jealousy, or the anger in the pit of her stomach.

She sat down, wringing her hands. _This is necessary_ , she thought, trying to convince herself. _And when I hold that baby in my arms for the first time, it will make it all worth it._

But what if it didn't? What if when she held that innocent child, she could only envision Jord and Odin? What if she would grow to hate the baby?

Frigga felt like she was going to be sick. It was one thing she hadn't allowed herself to think of, and now that she was thinking of it, she knew she had made a terrible mistake. She wouldn't be able to love the child. He would grow up with a stepmother who hated him, and his life would be miserable. How could she do that to a baby?

She jumped to her feet and raced from the cave, forgetting her cloak behind. She followed the footprints in the fresh dusting of snow, heart in her throat. She wouldn't be too late. If it was her and Odin, they would not yet be undressed! She had to have time to tell them it was a mistake, that she couldn't go through with this!

She ran into a grove of poplar trees. The snow disappeared from under her feet, and a blast of warm air made Frigga gasp. She stopped in surprise and looked around. The inside of this grove was like summer. Flowers blossomed, the grass was green, and it was so warm she was already sweating in her heavy dress. She moved forward cautiously. Jord must be nearby.

The moment she heard the moans, she knew she should leave. She knew it was too late, and that she just needed to retreat, because otherwise she would see things that would make her sick and she wouldn't be able to get past it. But that small voice in her head that told her that it wasn't too late yet propelled her forward.

She stopped in a break between two trees. Jord. Odin. Clothing shed. Gasps. Kisses. Odin's arms tight around Jord.

She was frozen, staring at the proof it was too late to turn back now. She wanted to run, she wanted to scream, to fight, to tear them apart and beat them both until her hands were bruised and raw. But she just stood still, watching. Unable to move.

 _This is my fault. Why had I agreed to this?_

Jord's head fell to the side, and her eyes locked with Frigga's. For a moment it was like time stopped, then the Elder Goddess's eyes widened, and she opened her mouth.

Frigga fled. She raced from the grove. The chilly winter air slapped her, and she sucked it in, enjoying the pain that burned in her lungs. The cold was like ice daggers in her eyes and on her cheeks. That was how she knew she was crying. Trees grasped at her clothing and hair, but all she wanted was to get away from this place.

When she finally stopped, she couldn't breathe. She hunched over, clasping her stomach. The image of what she had seen burned into her mind, and it was worse than anything she could have imagined.

The soft sounds of footsteps made her look up. Her eyes widened at the sight of Jord. She wore a robe that was more modest than the dress she had worn earlier, and her hair was tousled, her cheeks red. It made her look even more attractive, and Frigga felt jealousy well in her.

"You could have any man you wanted. Just like your daughter. You're beautiful, and young and fresh. Men would be falling over themselves just to win a smile from you. So why did you want him? Why…"

Jord knelt beside her. "Frigga, you should not have seen that. But I swear, I am not trying to take him from you. He loves you. This is only for a child."

Her words only made Frigga feel worse. "Yes, because I have failed at being a woman," she snapped. "Because if I was a true woman we'd have a dozen babies by now. I have done everything I thought was right. I have been the kind of person I thought I needed to be! So why don't I have children? Why am I denied being a woman?"

Jord shook her head. "Bearing children is not the difference between a woman and a girl. I have known plenty of girls to be mothers, and it only harms them and their babies in the long run. You are a woman, Frigga and a good woman—"

"Then how come my husband is more passionate with you than he is with me?"

Jord's jaw dropped. "Passionate? Frigga, that was not passion!"

The queen's eyes filled with tears again. "He doesn't hold me like that. He doesn't kiss me like that. Whenever we make love, it's like he's a robot. Just does what he has to do and that's it. He's so restrained. Why doesn't he want me like that?"

Because she wasn't pretty enough? Because they had married so young, and he missed his days of being a stud in the stables? Because she couldn't give him children, so why bother?

"Frigga—"

"I was coming to tell you I changed my mind. Because I did. I changed my mind. I guess it's too late now."

Jord put a hand on her shoulder. Frigga pushed it off, scrambling to her feet. "Get away from me. Go back to him! Give him his son!"

She ran again. She didn't look back, not wanting to see Jord's face. The Elder Goddess called after her, but she didn't turn. Let Odin have his child, and let Jord have her pleasure. There was nothing to be done about it now, except to keep running.

 _I will love the child,_ Frigga told herself, her thoughts pounding with her footsteps. _I will love the child. I will love the child._

 _#_

 ** _A/N: sorry this is such a short chapter. The next one will be of a normal length again. Thanks for reading!_**


	7. Chapter 7

Frigga wandered through the forest, trying to stop herself from crying, and telling herself over and over again that the child born of Odin and Jord's union would always have her full love. She would not make the child suffer just because she made a mistake, and thought she could handle something that she could not. She didn't think about Odin – she couldn't think about him.

The snow got thicker as it fell, and by the time Frigga had decided to turn back, it was dark and the path she had taken was completely covered. She tried to retrace her steps, but soon realised she was lost.

"Terrific," she muttered, kicking a tree.

Well, she wasn't going to find her way back in these conditions. She settled down between the roots of some large spruces. She cast a magical barrier around herself to keep the cold out, and laid her head on her arms.

 _Tomorrow, I will talk to Odin. We'll work this out._ Frigga wiped her eyes with her sopping, frozen sleeves, and pulled her hair over her face to try to keep some warmth in. _I was the one to push this. I will not stay angry with him. He did what was necessary, just as I did. He loves me, and I love him. I will not let this come between us._

An owl hooted somewhere in the forest, and Frigga peered through her hair and the darkness. She sat up, and grabbed a few stones. Setting them in her palms, she held them close to her face and whispered a few magical words. Her fingers warmed as the stones began to glow. She tossed them through her air barrier, lighting the area around herself. A warm, yellow light shone four feet in every direction.

"That's better." Frigga nodded.

While the mortal animals on Midgard couldn't harm her, she still didn't want to encounter them in the darkness. After all, her clothing was not indestructible, and this was her favourite dress. Better to be able to frighten off any wild animals before they attacked than after.

How was she supposed to tell her mother? Her father? They had not been partial to her marriage to Odin in the first place. When they learned of this, there would be nothing she could say to convince them it was her idea. They'd blame Odin.

"I just won't tell them." She plucked a few ferns to lay on the ground under her head, and pulled her skirt over her toes for extra warmth.

 _How will Freyja react?_ Frigga winced as she thought of her friend learning that Odin, her brother-in-law, had slept with her mother to produce a child. She could almost imagine Freyja, asking her how she could have been so submissive. The thought made bile and anger well in her chest and she shook her head. Freyja would not find out, either, unless Jord told her. And then there'd be a whole other argument.

"It will all work out" she told herself. "As soon as Odin and I have a talk, it will all be good."

#

Sometime during the night, Frigga woke briefly to a gentle cawing in her ear, and two large ravens settling down against her. She welcomed their warmth, and slept more soundly. In the morning, Huginn and Muninn plucked at her sleeves and woke her while the sky was still grey. Odin's ravens rubbed their heads against her cheeks, and she smiled.

"Huginn, go tell Odin I am on my way back." He must have sent the ravens to find her."Muninn, I trust you can show me the way?"

Both ravens called, and Huginn took wing. Muninn jumped onto Frigga's shoulder, close to her ear. The warmth of his body was welcome against the chilly day. She headed back, guided by the raven. A few hours later, she heard Huginn's call again. Moments later, Odin came into view. His cheeks were flushed from running, and he carried her cloak and muff with him.

Relief broke over Odin's face, and Frigga felt an echoing relief – until he got closer, and the image of him and Jord flashed through her mind. When he reached to embrace her, she drew back.

"Frigga, I've been so worried." He wrapped his arms around her, apparently unaware that she didn't want him to touch her. "When I went back to the cave, you weren't there. I looked all night."

"Huginn and Muninn found me," she told him, squirming out of his embrace, despite how warm he was. "I was alright."

"And why did you run off like that? It's freezing out there, and you didn't even have your cloak!" Odin's eyes narrowed, but he swung the cloak around her shoulders. "You're shivering."

Frigga snatched the muff from him and shoved her hands into it. "You know exactly why I ran, Odin."

His brows furrowed, and his lips pressed tight. He tugged on his left ear – a sure sign that he was confused, but didn't want to admit it. Frigga's hands pressed together, and she rubbed them against one another, trying to get them warm. Did he really not know? She thought back. He hadn't seen her. Only Jord. She'd assumed the elder goddess has told Odin she had seen them, but what if she had not? Frigga swallowed and opened her mouth. She wasn't sure how to say it, and closed her mouth again.

That seemed to be enough for Odin, though. He made a choked, gasping noise and stepped back. His face paled.

"You saw us."

Reluctantly, Frigga nodded. "I saw you. I was going to tell you I changed my mind, but it was too late."

Odin's voice sounded hollow. "You changed your mind?"

Frigga nodded, her neck feeling stiff. "It was too late, and it's too late now. I assume Jord has conceived?"

Odin nodded. His gaze dropped to the ground. "It didn't take long," he mumbled.

A pang hit Frigga in the stomach. It didn't take long. It had taken her decades, and she still hadn't conceived, but Jord, in one night. Not very long. "I see."

"Frigga, if I had known you changed your mind—"

"You couldn't have known." Frigga looked past him. "Let's get back to the cave. I'm freezing out here."

Odin nodded. With the ravens circling them and occasionally flying a head, they returned to the cave where Jord had first brought them. She was there, dressed in a modest gown, white and draping, that was so matronly as to make her look like a Vestal Virgin from Olympia. How she managed to hide her figure at all beggared belief, but she did.

"You found her." Jord stepped forward, worry lines creasing her otherwise youthful face. "Frigga—"

"You didn't tell him that I saw you two."

Jord winced. She withdrew a step. "No. I didn't. You said that the child needed to be conceived. And I knew he would not have continued had he known."

"You should have told me." Odin's voice was a low growl.

Jord turned her gaze to him and her eyes narrowed. She didn't reply to him, however, but continued to address Frigga. "I have conceived now, and there will be no more between Odin and me, ever again. This I swear."

"Of course there will be no more between us," Odin broke in. "I only agreed to this bec—"

"Enough!" Frigga's voice was sharp. "Enough. I don't want to sit here and have to mediate you two bickering when the truth of the matter is that you're both feeling guilty about what happened." She hoped her words were true, and the tension was because of guilt, and not because they both wanted each other again. "So let's just not fight. I'm too tired for this, and quite frankly I wouldn't know whose side I was on."

Odin put an arm around her. "Of course."

Jord nodded as well. "I apologise for suggesting that you may want more than just a child, Odin. I've just had… experiences in the past… but I trust that I have read your character better than that."

Frigga wanted to lean into Odin's embrace, but couldn't make herself. _What does that mean? If she thought she wanted more than a child, then he must have really enjoyed himself last night._ Her stomach twisted. They could well have continued to lie together, even after Jord had conceived. She only had their word on the matter. What if they were lying to her?

"And I apologise for snapping," Odin said civilly to Jord. "I assumed you were assuming the worst of me. It's what…"

"Freyja would do?" Jord shrewdly guessed.

"Freyja deliberately antagonises Odin," Frigga interrupted. "But this isn't about her. Not right now, at least."

Jord nodded. "I've made hot porridge. You must be starving."

Frigga nodded. She sat on a bench in the cave, next to the fire. She held her stiff fingers out to the flame and sighed in relief as they started to warm again. Odin sat next to her, but with a space between them. The queen was glad for the distance, not wanting to imagine smelling Jord on him. She accepted the bowl of porridge from the elder goddess, and the three lapsed into silence as they ate.

Huginn flew into the cave and perched on Odin's knee. The raven cawed, then tilted his head to one side. Odin set his porridge aside and frowned. Huginn's eyes turned an iridescent blue, the signal that he was communicating with the Allfather. After only a moment, Odin swore under his breath.

"What's wrong?" Frigga asked as Odin stood.

"The Jotunns have attacked Vanaheim," Odin replied, snatching his cloak off the floor. "I have to return to Asgard."

"But—" Frigga swallowed her protest. The Nine Realms came first. _We haven't been able to talk. Things are not fine between us._ She tried to reassure herself that it would be. Odin had a duty to the realms, and besides that, Vanaheim was threatened. It was the place of her birth, her family still lived there! "Go," she said. "Hurry."

She chewed on her thumb as Odin nodded. He bent and kissed her briefly before dashing from the cave. Frigga jumped to her feet and ran after him.

"Send word about my family," she called.

Odin nodded as the bifrost descended.

Frigga's next words were lost in the rush of sounds that accompanied the rainbow bridge. "And I love you!"

She stood in the doorway, staring at the intricate pattern in the ground where Odin had been standing moments ago. Her hands clenched in her skirt. _He knows I love him._

If he went into battle, she might never see him again. Tears filled her eyes, but she blinked them away and turned back to Jord. Normally in such a circumstance, she would busy herself, helping Eir and the healers in their own efforts to help Asgard in this war. It was impossible right now, but that didn't mean that she had to mope around doing nothing.

"Well, there must be something around here for me to do," she said, her voice steely. "What is it?"

"The mortals are always in need of a little help," Jord said. "But that can wait. You're still frozen to the bone."

"I can handle a little cold."

Jord nodded. "I'm sure you can. But I do want to talk a little as well."

Frigga returned to her seat and picked up her porridge. "Talk about what?"

"First, I need to know if you think you can love this baby, after what you witnessed."

"Yes," Frigga said without hesitation. "That's why I changed my mind. Because I wasn't sure if I would be able to… but in the end, I will love that baby with all my heart. I know that now, more than anything else." She looked at her hands. "That may be the only thing I know right now."

Jord sat beside her. "Odin will not die in this war. I see it clearly. He will rule Asgard for many, many years to come. You need not fear for his life."

"Many things can happen to a man besides death," Frigga replied, but her heart eased at Jord's words. "Can you see if my family on Vanaheim…"

"My vision does not extend that far."

"I understand." She managed a smile, though her stomach twisted again. "Can you tell if the baby is a boy or a girl?"

"Not yet. It will take some time for the baby to decide that one." She pressed a hand to her stomach. "I do feel this pregnancy will progress quickly, though, and the child will be powerful. More so than my Vanir children, I think, but not as much as my eldest sons. Well. Atum at least. It's debateable whether Thoth has any powers besides his ability to keep his library organised." Jord laughed.

"Tell me about him," Frigga found herself saying. Jord nodded, and happily talked about her son, fondly outlying his flaws as though they were his weapons. Frigga listened, trying not to imagine her mother run through by a Jotunn spear, or her father being clubbed to death, or her sister being taken back to Jotunehim as one of their slaves.

 _Please be safe,_ she prayed. _Please be safe._


	8. Chapter 8

Huginn brought a message a few days after Odin's departure. Frigga fed him a few seeds from her hand, and he combed his beak through her hair before flying out of Jord's cave. The Elder Goddess sat nearby, embroidering a golden gown with small white flowers. Frigga had been making supper, but she abandoned her task to open the message. Her heart was in her throat.

 _My darling Frigga. The Jotunns have been successfully driven from Vanahiem. Your family are all accounted for, and in good health._

Frigga cried out in relief. Grateful tears blurred her gaze. Jord gave her a curious look, and Frigga slipped out of the cave to have some privacy. She went a little distance and stood under the branch where Huginn cleaned his beak.

 _I have extended an invitation to them to go to Asgard until the end of the war. Your sister has expressed interest in doing so, but your parents say that they will stay on Vanaheim._

Of course they would. Frigga rolled her eyes. Her parents were both stubborn, but that was perhaps one of the reasons she loved them. Her family had a lot of land on Vanaheim, and her father always ran the day-to-day business, getting right into the work. Frigga had a lot of fond memories helping to pull weeds from their massive gardens.

She had been trained in the courtly occupations, but her mother always insisted that she and her sister got a taste of labour, to keep them humble. Her father had agreed whole-heartedly, and so both girls were expected to spend time working the land with the hired hands, skin going golden-brown in the sun, making friends and gaining a lot of practical knowledge. Her mother was always too poorly to do much work, but she was stubborn, and would never even consider moving to a city. There was no way she would leave Vanaheim, not even for the threat of a Jotunn invasion.

 _We were able to drive the Jotunns back before there was much damage, and Vanaheim suffered minimal loss of life, though none the workers on your parents farm were killed. An old man whom your sister named Copperwood lost a hand, but that was the worse of the injuries._

Copperwood. The name wasn't familiar. Frigga read the rest of the letter. It was mainly reassurances that her friends and relatives were alright, and that Vanaheim would easily recover from the attack. At the end of the letter, Odin told her he loved her, and signed the letter.

Frigga folded the letter and tucked it into her pocket. She called Huginn, and he came and landed on her shoulder. She gave him a few more seeds.

"When you're feeling up to it, return to Asgard and give Odin my thanks for his letter. And tell him I love him, too."

Huginn tilted his head to one side. He let out a throaty caw, but Frigga shook her head.

"You know I don't understand you. Just do as I say, Huginn. Now would you like to come back to the cave and warm yourself, or would you prefer to stay out in the cold?"

The raven hopped from her shoulder, and with a few beats of his powerful wings, returned to the three. Frigga nodded, and returned to the cave. Jord was sucking on her finger, her nose wrinkled.

"What's wrong?" Frigga asked.

"I stabbed myself with the needle."

Frigga drew closer, concerned. "Let me see."

Jord waved a hand and set her embroidery aside. "Never mind, it's not bad. It's just a sign that I need to stop sewing for a while. What did the letter say?"

"Vanaheim is safe, and so is my family." Frigga was surprised when Jord took her hand to help herself stand up. The Elder Goddess swept to the other side of the cave, to Frigga's half-prepared dinner. Frigga joined her and they picked up where the queen of Asgard had left off. "I am glad that Vanaheim has been secured. It's frightening, that the Jotunns would dare such a brazen attack."

"If it was a true attack, Laufey would not have been fought back so easily. He's a cunning warmaster." Jord's expression was smooth. "He is planning something, and I am sure this was a test of Odin's might."

Frigga shivered at her words. "How could you know that?"

"I've been around for a long while, Frigga." Jord smirked. "I have picked up on war plans. But let's not talk of death and destruction. It depresses me, and I think we would all prefer this baby to be more of the happy sort."

Frigga's brow furrowed. "I didn't know that a mother's temperament during pregnancy effected the child's personality."

"That may be true for most species, but I always have a telepathic bond with my children, and in my experience how I feel while I carry them certainly helps shape them. I won't say it's the deciding factor, but it makes a difference."

Frigga nodded, falling into thought. Not about what Jord had just told her, but about Odin. She had hesitated before telling Huginn to relay her love to her husband. Why? She did love him, and she wanted him to know that. But she was still angry at him, and she knew she was going to have accept that her feelings didn't care that her head kept reminding her that she was to blame for this whole mess.

Jord's hand on her arm broke her out of her thoughts. "It will be alright, Frigga."

"The war?"

"You and Odin. You just have to believe that." Jord squeezed. "Now, Freyja tells me you like gardening. Tell me about your favourite flowers."

#

The ravens brought Frigga updates from Odin regularly, at least once a week. His notes varied in length. Sometimes they gave little snippets of news, while other times all he wrote was "I love you." Frigga sent messages back, and always made sure to tell him that she loved him as well. As time went on, her anger towards him and herself eased, replaced with an ache to be with him.

She did not expect to grow closer to Jord, but she found that she did. Jord shared stories from Freyja's childhood that Frigga was gleeful to hear, and was already planning on how she could embarrass her friend. She had rarely seen Freyja blush, while Freyja could make the queen blush with a casual shrug and a few saucy words. It would be nice to have something to hold over her once in a while to stop the teasing.

Jord's stomach grew steadily, and one day, sooner than Frigga expected, Jord grabbed her hand and pressed it to her belly. Frigga opened her mouth to ask why, but a little bump came against her hand. She jumped, and laughed.

"He's kicking!"

Jord nodded. "We're going to have an active child on our hands, Frigga. I'm glad I'm not on my own for this one."

"Have you been? On your own with a child, I mean."

"For my eldest, my sister helped me out from time to time, but she wasn't around much. Then, by the time Thoth was born, Atum was grown and spent a lot of time from home, killing demons and such. And I was very young at the time. It was difficult. How did you and Odin meet?"

Frigga was surprised by the change of subject. The baby stopped kicking, and withdrew her hand. "Well, it's a rather boring story, to be honest. We met at a diplomatic ball. My sister convinced me to go, because she was looking for a husband and didn't want it to be too obvious."

"And bringing you along made it less obvious?"

"When she was interested in a man, she directed him to me, to deflect their attention."

Jord laughed. "Really?"

Frigga nodded, grinning. She shook her head. "She's smartened up a little bit since then."

"Ah. She was interested in Odin, then?"

"Of course," Frigga replied promptly. "He was handsome, in his prime, and had just successfully completed a campaign against Sutur and the fire demons, not to mention that we was the crown prince of Asgard. Every girl at the ball was interested in him. I tried to play it a bit cooler than my sister, though. She was all over him from the start."

"She sounds like a real flirt."

"She is. That's why I think she's not married yet. She enjoys flirting too much to give it up for one man." Frigga chuckled. "Anyway, she has always had this way about her, so she can just capture a room's attention in no time. She told Odin that she thought I would make a perfect match for him, and practically forced us to dance together. I was humiliated." Frigga paused, smiling. It was a pleasant memory, especially now. "He danced me out onto this balcony, and confided that he wasn't looking for a wife, and apologised if I got the wrong impression."

Jord rubbed her stomach. "And what did you do?"

"I told him I wasn't looking for a husband, and explained my sister's logic to him. He laughed, and I just knew. I was actually pretty furious with myself. I always said I would never be one of those girls, the kind that decided they were in love a man they had just met. But it happened, and I knew it was love. Odin knew at the same time. We didn't dance at all for the rest of the ball. Didn't see each other for days. Then out of the blue, he showed up at my family's house, apologised to me and asked me to marry him."

"You call that boring?" Jord shook her head in amazement. "I'm out of breath just hearing about it!"

"Well it doesn't take you much to get winded these days, does it?" Frigga teased back.

Jord shot her a dirty look. "What did you do when he proposed?"

"I told him no, and spent the next three days bawling my heart out, feeling rotten. I knew with every fiber of my being that I had made the wrong choice, but I tried to convince myself I was just crazy. It didn't exactly work. On the third day, I wrote him a letter and told him that if he still wanted to marry me, I'd marry him. My parents were shocked and a little furious. They actually accused Odin of casting a spell on me, but tests proved that wasn't the case. Eventually they gave us their blessing, but even now they haven't really accepted Odin. It makes things difficult. I think we should have moved slower. It would have helped."

Jord was silent for a moment. "Did you ever regret your marriage?"

Frigga shook her head. "No," she replied honestly. "Never once. We've had problems, some really big ones at times, some that I thought were going to tear us apart, but I've never regretting binding myself to him. We've worked through our problems and come out stronger for it. Still, if I ever had a daughter that came to me with this story, I'd probably react the same way my parents did. We were too young, we didn't know each other well enough. I'd say at least three quarters of our difficulties would have been avoided had we spent more time getting to know each other."

Frigga flushed suddenly. She'd been talking for so long that she hadn't noticed Jord's eyes growing heavier until the Elder goddess stifled a yawn.

"I'm sorry," Jord said. "I've just gotten very tired all of a sudden."

"Of course. I should stop talking anyway." Frigga smiled and stood. "I'm going to go to the village. Would you like anything?"

"A little more white embroidery thread, if you will," Jord said. "But make sure you are back soon. There's a blizzard scheduled for three hours' time, and I'd rather not delay it."

"Of course," Frigga agreed.

#

Several months later, Frigga was reading Odin's latest letter when Jord called for her. She entered the cave to see the Elder Goddess holding her stomach, half bent over, slowly walking from one side of the room to the other.

"The baby is coming," Jord said. "Call Odin. He should be here."

Frigga's heart jumped to her throat. She nodded, and dashed back outside. Muninn cawed at her, but she brushed aside the letter he plucked at. "Jord is in labour. Go tell Odin. Now. Now!"

Muninn's large wings spread, and he took off into the sky. Frigga took a deep breath, steadying her nerves. She wiped her hands on her skirt, and returned to the cave. It was time, and she had to ready to do what she needed to do. She went to Jord's side and put an arm around her waist, helping her walk.

 _Odin, you'd better get here soon._


	9. Chapter 9

"Does it usually take this long?" Frigga asked. Her arm was looped under Jord's shoulders as they walked in the frosty air. This time, even Jord shivered, but she insisted that she needed to be out, rather than in the cave. Snow fell from the sky, plastering Frigga's hair to her head.

"I've had some take longer," Jord replied. "And I've had some take shorter. The baby is getting into position. He's just slow about it, that's all. Everything will be fine."

It struck Frigga as ridiculous that Jord was offering her comfort when it should be going to the other way. After all, she wasn't the one with a living being inside her, struggling to come out. She wasn't the one in danger of bleeding out, or with the fear the cord could wrap around the baby's neck. Childbirth was dangerous, even in Asgard. Here, there was nothing but the two of them. Even Odin's ravens hadn't returned.

 _It takes them time to get to Asgard and back,_ she chided herself. _He probably hasn't even got the message yet._

"Have you ever given birth on your own?" Frigga asked, trying to distract herself from the dangers ahead.

Jord shook her head. "I've always had help. Oshtur, my sister, helped me with Atum. Since then, he's helped me with all my other babies. He's always been here."

Frigga looked around, shivering. She had no desire to meet with Atum, the god-slayer. His brutality and ruthlessness was known far and wide. It was true that most beings that met their end at his hand were of the more evil sort, but he had destroyed all the Elder Gods except for Jord, her sister, and their two brothers. He could kill Frigga without even blinking an eye.

"Will he be coming now?"

"I don't think so."

Frigga thought she heard layers of stress and worry in Jord's voice, but she chose not to press for more details. It wasn't important, not really. Jord leaned against her, a pained growl in her throat. She cradled her belly for a moment, then straightened again.

"It's time to go back to the cave. I think this little one will be coming soon." Jord offered Frigga a small smile.

As they made their way back to the cave, Frigga couldn't stop her doubts from surfacing. Now that there was an actual child on the way, now that Odin would have his heir, would he really still want her? She tried to brush off the thought as ridiculous – Odin has married her because they fell in love, not because he wanted a brood mare. But still, the fears crept in.

What if he decided he preferred Jord to her? Their intimate life had stalled, and if Frigga was honest, Odin had always been reserved with her. She thought that was how it was supposed to be, until she had seen him with Jord. It was clear that he'd been pleased with the Elder Goddess. And love wasn't everything. The physicality of their relationship was important to Frigga, and she knew it was important to Odin as well. He'd had women before he met her.

Maybe the passion she had seen was because of Jord, not Odin.

"Maybe it was my fault that Odin is so reserved with me."

"What?" Jord looked at her.

Frigga flushed. They reached the save, and Asgard's queen helped the Elder Goddess onto the bed of moss.

"Nothing. I didn't mean to say it out loud."

Jord groaned, rubbing her stomach. "Frigga, has it ever occurred to you that you need to tell Odin what you want in bed?"

Frigga went bright red. "I wasn't—"

"You was. Were." Jord fixed her in a glare. "You know what Odin told me after I conceived?"

She didn't want to know, but asked anyway.

"He said that he wished he could please you like that. Then he gave some excuse that you didn't seem to enjoy being intimate, and that you were just going through the motions, and that he was afraid of hurting you, or making you do something you didn't want to do." Jord grabbed the collar of Frigga's cloak and dragged her face close to her own, so they were inches apart. A think sheen of sweat coated her face, and her blue eyes narrowed. "So go _speak_ to him, curse you, and tell him what you want!"

Frigga was taken aback by the forcefulness of Jord's words, but she chalked to up to the Elder goddess being in pain. She nodded. "I'll talk to him. I'll talk to him."

"Good." Jord released her. "Now help me up. My back is hurting something awful, and walking usually helps."

Frigga moved to her side again, helping her stand. After twelve hours of walking Jord around the cave, Frigga found herself utterly exhausted. Her back hurt, her feet ached, and Jord's weight on only one half of her made her hips feel out of alignment. She could only guess at what pain Jord was in. Outside, the heavy snow fall had turned into a full-on blizzard, punctuated only by loud rumblings of thunder, and the occasional lightening of the storm, indicating a flash of lightning.

"This is taking too long," Frigga said, worried, when she checked Jord's readiness. "There's something wrong with the baby."

Jord shook her head. "No. Nothing's wrong, Frigga. He's waiting for something."

"It's a he for sure then?" Frigga asked as they started pacing again.

"I think so."

Frigga bit her lip to keep from crying out as Jord's fingers dug into her shoulder. "What is he waiting for then?"

"Damned if I know!"

Frigga winced at Jord's harshness. She had been so sweet all these months, and suddenly her personality seemed to have just switched in the blink of an eyes. _Because of the pain and stress_ , Frigga told herself, but also vowed not to ask any more foolish questions.

A figure suddenly stumbled into the cave out of the snow. Frigga screamed, surprised, but when the man shook back his hood, she cried out in relief.

"Odin!"

"I came as soon as I learned the news." His clothing was covered in snow, and it hung in great ropes in his hair, and coated his lashes. "What can I do?"

Jord answered. "Make sure the mortals are all safe in their village."

Frigga bit her lip.

Odin looked startled. "But I want to help—"

"And this would be much easier for me if I knew those people that rely on me are safe and protected." Jord leaned on Frigga. "Trust me, that is the most important thing you can do right now. Once they're all safe, come back here."

Odin hesitated.

"Do as I say!" Jord bellowed at him.

He flinched and nodded. He met Frigga's gaze. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Frigga hurried as Jord snarled under her breath. "Now go!"

He disappeared back into the snow. Jord clutched at Frigga as she bent double, a loud scream tearing from her lips.

"Was he just waiting for his father?" Frigga tried to joke, but it doesn't help her feel any calmer.

Jord managed a small laugh. "I think so. Now he's impatient. Get me to the bed, quickly."

#

After Odin's arrival, the birthing went quickly. Soon Frigga was handing a small, wet wrinkled body to Jord, telling her that it was, in fact, a boy. Jord cradled the baby to her chest while Frigga brought over the warm water and clean cloths to clean him. Jord cleaned him crooning, as the baby wailed.

"Yes, I know it's cold out here. But don't worry, little one, you'll be warm again soon. Frigga, will you hand me the blanket?"

Frigga did so, and Jord wrapped the baby up tightly.

"The storm has stopped," Frigga said, looking out of the cave. Nothing but blue sky could be seen. The snow was surprisingly light. The wind must have blown it all away, because there was no more than three inches on the ground.

"I don't think it's a coincidence." Jord smiled, looking tired, pale, and dishevelled. "I think this little man had a hand in that."

Frigga's jaw dropped. "What?"

"We won't know for certain until he's a little older, but I think he's going to have some control over weather." Jord smiled at her, beaming. "Another little one with overt powers. I hope he doesn't have a temper."

Frigga washed herself up, her back turned on the mother and child. "Is it worth it?"

"Is what worth it?"

"All that pain and discomfort. Is it worth it?" Frigga turned around again. "Is he worth it?"

Jord looked her in the eye. "Every bit of pain and heartache is worth it."

Frigga was about to say something else when she heard footsteps crunching in the snow. She didn't want to see Jord present their son to Odin, so she slipped out of the cave and met him on the way. As soon as he saw her, Odin stopped.

"Is the baby born?"

Frigga nodded. "You should go see your son."

Odin smiled. "A son. The next king."

Frigga winced. It was not lost on Odin, whose smile faded. "Frigga, I know that things have been difficult—"

"I'm too tired to talk right now, Odin. Please. Just go see your son. He was waiting until you came to be born, after all."

Odin nodded. He reached for her, but she slipped out of his arms and shook her head. She was too exhausted, and there were too many confusing emotions swirling in her brain for her to accept his touch. After months of not seeing him, she couldn't help but wonder if she would ever want him to touch her again. That frightened her even more than the thought that he might prefer Jord.

#

Laufey sat on his throne, eyes closed as he contemplated the war with Asgard. Things were not progressing as he would have liked, although his recent feints on the core worlds of Asgard's domains were having the desired effects. The foolish boy who called himself a king was leaving other, vulnerable worlds open to attack.

He opened his eyes when he heard footsteps. It was one of his spies. He rose.

"What news have you?"

The spy bowed. "We have located Odin's wife. She resides on Midgard. Our messengers could not find glimpse of her, but the mortals spoke of her as being nearby."

Laufey nodded. "Anything else?"

The spy nodded. "As you suspected, my lord. A child has been born."

Laufey smiled.  
#

Frigga sat in the cold snow beside a trickle of water that was barely able to withstand the freeze. Her face was wet, even though she had told herself over and over again that she had no reason to cry. All the dark thoughts in her mind were just because she was tired, physically and emotionally drained from helping Jord give birth. She'd feel better once she had a good sleep.

The problem was, she didn't want to return to the cave, to her bed. She just wanted to be alone right now.

"Frigga?"

She jumped and turned. Jord was approaching, walking as swiftly as if she hadn't given birth mere hours ago. She wore a green, wafting gown that showed that her stomach was perfectly flat once more. It must be nice to be and Elder Goddess, Frigga thought as she remembered how long it took Freyja to lose her baby weight after each child.

In Jord's arms was a bundle of blankets, and spring bloomed in a five foot radius all around her.

"Isn't it too cold out here for him?" Frigga asked, but as soon as she was near Jord, she realised it was a foolish question. The air surrounding the Elder Goddess was as warm as summer.

"I thought you might like to hold him."

Frigga blinked. She hadn't even thought… Cautiously, she took the small babe from Jord's arms. He was sleeping, wrapped in his blankets. As Frigga held him close to her, she looked down at his tiny, red face. He was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. A feeling of warmth and love washed over her. She smiled, touching his little cheek.

"I love you," she whispered to the baby. "I love you forever."


	10. Chapter 10

Odin was only able to stay for a few days before he had to take his leave back to Asgard. Frigga slept with him in the tent he pitched outside the cave, and the feeling of being in his arms was so good that she didn't want to talk, for fear of ruining it. One the day that he had to leave, however, she pulled him aside.

"Odin, I love you," she said, twining her fingers through his. "And I know that my recent behavior must be difficult for you to accept—"

"No, I understand. Frigga, I have been so worried—"

"And I'm sorry, I shouldn't have worried you. It's just—"

"I know. I have regretted my actions ever since—"

Frigga shook her head. "Don't. The time for regrets is past. You have a beautiful little son, and I love him. And I love you. I had my own regrets, but they don't have to stand between us anymore. I'll write about how little Thor is doing. I'll write every day."

"And I will write when I can." Odin kissed her knuckles. "I apologise ahead of time that I won't be able to write as often as I should."

Frigga pressed a finger to his lips. "It's alright. It's alright. As long as you love me."

"I do." He wrapped his arms around her. "I love you more than life itself, Frigga. And I will _never_ do anything to jeopardise our marriage again. I swear, even if Asgard would fall unless I had to—"

Frigga silenced him with a kiss. "I know."

They spent the next hour not talking, before Odin had to leave. When Frigga returned to Jord's cave, she was tired, but happy. Jord was feeding little Thor, and she eyes Frigga a moment before speaking.

"It seems you had quite the goodbye."

Frigga flushed and smoothed down her hair. "We did."

Jord nodded, as though satisfied. "Good. I take it you and Odin have worked through your difficulties then?"

At the moment, it certainly felt like they had, but Frigga didn't respond at once. When it came to how her relationship with Odin fared, most of it was best kept between the two of them. However, Jord was going to give her child into the relationship between the king and queen of Asgard, and so how they did or did not get along definitely affected her.

"I think we've started to. I don't think it's solved yet," Frigga said slowly. "But I know that it will. I'm not angry anymore. I've forgiven him. Now I think it's just a matter of forgiving myself for pressuring him, and then for being so angry with him for agreeing to my pressuere."

Thor twisted his head away from his mother, seeking out Frigga. He stuffed a fist into his mouth.

"Would you like to burp him?" Jord asked as she covered herself with a blanket.

Frigga nodded, taking the small baby. She put him on her shoulder and patted his back. "I still can't get over how small he is."

"Small?" Jord laughed. "That there is a huge baby. I've only had one to top him, and that was Atum. He's going to be a strapping young lad, just like his father."

Thor let out a tremendous burp, and Frigga brought him down from her shoulder. She cradled him on her knees, supporting his head in her hands, and smiled at him. Thor stuck his fist in his mouth again.

Jord moved to sit next to her, and put an arm around her. "I was afraid that once the baby was born you'd feel worse. Jealous that you don't have your own."

"I'm not," Frigga responded honestly. "He just feels so right. I can't really explain it."

Jord smiled. "You don't have to."

#

For a year and a half, Frigga continued to live with Jord, helping her mind Thor. He was the sweetest baby Asgard's queen had ever known. He started smiling quickly, and had an infectious laugh. The days always seemed to be sunny and bright when she was with him, either telling him a story, singing him songs, or taking him for walks in the woods. There had never been a more even-tempered baby. Even when he fussed, he would stop as soon as he saw Frigga or Jord.

It amazed Frigga that Thor didn't seem to prefer one of the women over the other. He settled for either of them, and was quite content to let Frigga as well and Jord soothe him after a grazed knee or a bumped head.

"He'll be completely weaned soon," Jord mentioned one day as they walked through the woods. The buds were just beginning to blossom, and the air was filled with a natural warmth that heralded summer right around the corner. Thor walked between the women, holding each of their hands.

Frigga nodded. Her stomach twisted at the thought. She knew that Odin wanted Thor to be brought to Asgard as soon as he was weaned, but Jord wanted to wait until he was a little older, so that she could explain to him what was happening. Frigga tended to agree with Jord. Thor was just so little, and it seemed cruel to take him away from the only life he knew. Besides, even though there was a lull in the war, she didn't trust that Laufey had given up his quest yet. If he was planning another strike against Asgard, she would rather Thor stay on Midgard, in safety.

"Do you think he'll be happy in Asgard?" Frigga asked aloud as Thor released her hand to toddle forward, jabbering excitedly as he grabbed at a flower.

He brought it to his nose, inhaled deeply, and then put in in his mouth and started chewing.

Jord retrieved him and fished the masticated flower out of his toothless jaws. She tapped his nose lovingly, and he giggled, grabbing it and putting it in his mouth. "I'm sure he will be. He loves you, and he gets wildly excited every time Odin comes, so I can't see why he wouldn't be happy there."

Frigga sighed. "I just think you should come with me, back to Asgard. Freyja would love to see you, and I think it would be easier for Thor. I remember when my grandmother died. It tore out my heart because she wasn't there anymore."

"I'm not going to die," Jord said. "I am still going to be in his life. But he does need to learn the ways of his own people. Don't you, my boy?"

Thor kissed her nose, and she kissed him back.

"Still—" Frigga stopped as a snowflake drifted in front of her face. She frowned, then shivered at an unexpected gust of wind.

Thor let out a piercing wail and buried his face against Jord. The Elder Goddess had gone still, her stance rigid. Her blue eyes sharpened, but they gazed forward as though she was seeing through the trees. Frigga was almost afraid to touch her, but when her arms tightened around Thor, and the little boy wailed again, Frigga hastily took him. He screamed, reaching for Jord.

His cries seemed to rouse Jord. Her gaze focused again, but she didn't take the baby back. She cradled his head and kissed his hair. "Be good. Frigga, take him back to the cave. There is something unnatural here."

Frigga nodded, and hauled Thor back to the cave. He was having none of it, though, and screamed, writhed, and kicked, growing louder with every step. He started beating at her with his tiny fists, and nothing she did seemed to soothe him. It was surprising and frightening; he had never acted this way before!

The warm spring day had turned into a blizzard by the time Frigga reached the cave. She stumbled in, expecting it to be warm and protected. Instead, she found herself knee-deep in snow. Shivering, she looked around wildly. It was the same cave, but the little creek had frozen solid, and wind howled through it. She found her winter cloak and pulled it around Thor before she found a relatively protected corner and huddled there.

She didn't see the Jotuns until they were already surrounding her. Too big to stand in the cave, they had crawled in, hidden by the snow. She saw the red of their eyes and her heart leapt to her throat.

She had been worried about Asgard. She hadn't even thought they would come after her.

No. Not her.

Thor.

As the closest Jotun reached towards her, Frigga drew the dagger she carried with her and plunged it into the giant's eye. He shouted and jerked back, unintentionally knocking over the one beside him. Frigga darted from the cave, running as fast as she could. Thor's screams increased, and he bit her arm, hard. She only held him tighter.

Calling on her magic, Frigga sent off a dozen illusions of herself, spreading in all directions. She heard the roars of Jotuns behind her, but didn't risk looking back to see if her ruse worked.

"Heimdall," she whispered, her lungs burning as she ran in the frozen air. "Heimdall, the Jotuns are after Odin's son."

A hulking blue figure loomed in the whiteness before her, and Frigga skidded to a stop. The giant grinned, raising a club. Frigga darted to the left, and the club came down right in front of her. She yelped and backed up. The giant hefted its club once more…

Only to drop it, yelling, when it burst into flame. The blizzard stopped as suddenly as it had started, and the trees began growing rapidly. Their branches reached for the Jotun. Before he even realised what had happened, they had wrapped around his throat and hoisted him in the air.

Thor bit Frigga again, clawing at her arms. She grit her teeth and held him tighter, determined that she wasn't going to lose her grip on the child.

Three more Jotuns stumbled into the clearing. They stopped dead when they saw the trees choking their fellow to death. When they turned to Frigga, a light as bright as the sun burst through the trees. Even Frigga flinched back. In the brightness, she could just barely make out Jord's form as she stalked forward. With a flick of one hand, vines burst from the ground and began winding up the legs of one Jotunn. With wave of the other hand, the ground beneath a second Jotun opened up.

An icy blast hit Jord from behind, causing her to stumble. The light dimmed, and Frigga backed up against a tree, which rapidly grew branches, shielding her and Thor.

Ice began to build beneath Jord's feet. Another dozen Jotuns were behind her, all concentrating on sending ice at her. Though she struck them away with a tree branch, they regrouped and kept blasting her with ice. More and more Jotuns arrived, joining on the attack on the Elder Goddess. Soon she was completely encased.

The tree protecting Frigga and Thor twisted and sighed, and stopped growing with only a sliver left for Frigga to see what was going on. Thor had finally gone silent. His thumb in his mouth. Thunder rumbled in the sky.

"I am goooood…" the tree moaned.

Frigga shook her head. No. The tree did not speak. It was just creaking against the clubs as the Jotuns smashed at it. Thor started crying again, but this time he didn't fight against Frigga instead cuddling against her.

"Heimdall!" she screamed. "Open the bifrost!"

There was a large groaning sound, and the tree suddenly snapped upright. The Jotuns were thrown back, but they quickly recovered. The tree pulled one foot out of the ground, and then the other. Large eyes blinked at Frigga, then turned. With a roar, it charged the giants, spikes bursting from it's trunk.

The bifrost descended in a whirl of colour and light. The last thing Frigga saw was Jord's ice casing explode in a million shards, and heard a wordless scream from the Elder Goddess.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Sorry that this chapter is so late!**

 **#**

Frigga entered Hiemdall's observatory, carrying Thor. The little boy was loudly expressing his displeasure at not being able to run straight off the rainbow bridge, and a headache pounded in Frigga's temples. She understood now why Freyja so often had asked her to watch some of her children so she could get some alone time.

While Thor had been the perfect baby on Midgard, since their arrival to Asgard he had been a holy terror. He threw tantrums constantly, he was forever biting Frigga, and he refused to go to sleep unless Odin sang to him. Since Odin had left Asgard to go Jord's defense against the Jotunns, it meant that he didn't sleep at all, unless he exhausted himself.

Frigga knew why. He needed his mother. And she wasn't his mother.

Freyja was inside the observatory, pacing the floor and ringing her hands. She glanced up when she saw Frigga and offered a weak smile.

"Heimdall's busy," the younger goddess said. "He should be here soon, though…"

Thor had gone quiet, and was staring at Freyja. Did he think she was Jord? They did look very similar. However, when Freyja smiled at Thor, he made a growling noise and waved his hand as though trying to hit her.

"He takes after his father," Freyja said dryly.

Frigga was in no mood to remain calm. "What's that supposed to mean?" she snapped. "My husband has never hit you!"

Freyja blinked rapidly, appearing startled. "Frigga, I didn't mean that. I meant it looks like he doesn't really like me."

"It doesn't help that you just automatically start talking about him like that just because of who his father is!" Frigga shifted Thor to her other arm, glaring at her friend. "So you can just stop that. I want Thor to love his father, and I am not going to subject him to your biases!"

Freyja's brow furrowed. "I, uh, I will watch my tongue."

Would it kill her to actually apologise? Frigga turned away, marching forward. "Heimdall!"

The young gatekeeper turned. "My queen, I am bus—"

"How is my husband?"

She had come to ask about Jord, but with Freyja there it would be too risky. She'd want to know why, and Frigga just did not want to have to try to explain or lie about it. She was just too exhausted. Both she and Odin had decided not to have a royal nanny to help care for Thor, because they wanted him to bond more closely with Frigga. But since that didn't seem to be happening anyway, Frigga couldn't help but wonder if they were going about this all wrong.

Her sister had never come to Asgard, and though Frigga wrote letters begging her to come help, the reply was always the same. Their parents needed her. The farm needed her. Vanaheim needed her. Food was becoming scarce since it was all going to the army, and they needed to increase their production. Frigga couldn't argue with that.

In any case, as soon as the Jotuns were off of Midgard, she would return with Thor, and he'd be able to be with his mother again. He deserved to be with her.

Thor put his head on her shoulder, and she cradled him as Heimdall gave her a brief summary on the battle of Midgard. Odin was so far unscathed, thank the Norns, and they were having some luck in driving the Jotuns back.

"Aided in no small part by your mother," the gatekeeper turned his eyes to Freyja. "Jord keeps the Winter Casket from claiming lives."

Freyja, her face pale, twisted her hands. "But is she alright? Mother isn't a fighter, and she won't kill. Killing lessens her powers. Can she really hold them off? Especially if that brute Laufey…" She shivered. "Is she alright?"

Heimdall nodded. "I am no expert on the Elder Gods, but she appears to be holding her own quite nicely."

Freyja nodded, smiling in relief.

Frigga wondered, briefly, if Jord was sleeping in Odin's tent. She disregarded the notion. Even if she was, he wouldn't be in the tent with her. As she headed back towards Asgard, she examined her feelings – there was no jealous, no worry about if Odin was being faithful. She just knew that he was. And that was all there was to it.

"If you want, I can take Thor sometimes, when you need to deal with affairs of state or just need a rest," Freyja said suddenly.

Frigga jumped. She hadn't even realised that the younger Vanir had been trailing just behind her. She slowed so Freyja could catch up, but didn't reply.

"Of course, if I did, I wouldn't say a word about Odin," Freyja continued. "Because you're right. I don't want this feud we have between him and me to spill onto the next generation."

"Thank you," Frigga said slowly. "And I may take you up on that. There is no much to do. We're running out of medical funds, and healers. We need to start encouraging more people to come help out, but we can't offer much. It's the same predicament we were in before I left. If I'd stayed maybe we'd be in a better situation."

Freyja put a hand on her arm. "Frigga, you were pregnant with the king's son. Laufey would have stopped at nothing to kill both of you if he had known."

That was another thing Frigga realised she was going to have difficulty with. Keeping up the lie that she was Thor's mother. For the time it seemed like the right thing to do. There was enough political upheaval to deal with, and Thor's birth had boosted morale exponentially. It would be damaging to Odin's efforts for it to be revealed that he had lain with another woman to create his heir.

"I suppose," Frigga muttered, looking at the bright colours of the rainbow bridge. "But I'm beginning to think that we're going to have to start conscripting young women into the Healing rooms, just as how our young men have been conscripted into the armies."

"Is it really that bad?"

Frigga nodded.

Freyja's jaw set. "Then I will speak with my girls. We'll all start volunteering to do whatever we can. The Jotuns cannot win this war. If I didn't have my girls to think of, I'd put on my own armour and go after Laufey myself for what he did to Ve."

Bile rose in Frigga's throat as she thought of how the Jotun king had killed her brother-in-law. What if he did the same to Odin? What if she lost him, the way Freyja had lost Ve?

"I'm pregnant."

Frigga shook her head, grounding herself again. "What?"

"I'm pregnant."

"Oh. I mean, cong—"

"It's okay. In this war… I wasn't planning on getting pregnant, but there you go. Baby number eight." Freyja offered a strained smile. "It's been hard since Frey was called into the battle. I always rely on him so much when I'm expecting. But it's going to be fine, because he's going to come back. And don't let anyone even consider otherwise." She said the final sentence as though it was something she had been forced to memorise. "Frigga…"

"Yes?"

"I'm terrified."

Frigga put an arm around her friend the best she could while still carrying Thor, who was oddly subdued. "It's going to work out, Freyja. You just have to believe."

Freyja managed a smile. "Of course."

In the city, Frigga took her leave of Freyja and returned to the palace. After checking on the Healing Rooms and arranging a time to go over the supplies and soldiers being sent in from Vanaheim and Alfheim, she retreated to the nursery. Thor was sleeping at this time, and she laid him down.

 _I need a nurse to help me,_ she thought. _I can't fulfil my duties as queen while carrying a tantrumy child with me everywhere._

#

Several days later, Frigga left Thor with Freyja as she sat in a meeting of generals, relaying the orders Odin had sent though his ravens. It was a long, tiresome meeting, but she managed to wrangle a promise from Njord to double the soldiers he was sending; Frigga had had to point out that his son, his heir, was in the battle along Odin, and that his eldest daughter was in Asgard as well before he would do anything.

After the meeting, Frigga called Tyr, who was back in Asgard only for a few days, and asked him about his relations with Karnilla. If they could get the Norns help, it would mean a swift end to the violence.

Tyr shook his head. "Whatever friendly relations I was trying to build between Asgard and Nornheim is no more. I'm surprised you would even ask me about this."

Frigga frowned at Tyr's angry, bitter tone. "Why's that?"

The warrior's brow furrowed. "Odin never told you?"

"Told me what?"

Tyr's gaze dropped to the floor and he shifted from side to side. "If I returned to Nornheim, if I even contacted that witch, I would most likely cause more war."

Frigga put a hand on his elbow. "Why?"

Tyr hesitated a moment. "You know that Karnilla and I made an arrangement when she told me she carried my child."

"The child wasn't yours?"

"I don't care if it was or not," Tyr replied harshly. "Her brother, Austrmadr, told me that the child was stillborn."

Sympathy rushed Frigga. "Tyr, I'm so sorry."

Tyr nodded stiffly. "If Karnilla had told me herself, perhaps I could continue being an ambassador. But she did not even give me a note explaining what happened. She's a coward, a liar, a witch—"

"I'm a witch, too," Frigga pointed out. "Please don't use that word as an insult."

Tyr flinched. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause you offense, my queen. I just can't help but think… my child's body has probably been fed to Karnilla's demon pets. I loved the idea of being a father. But," he straightened. "It's too late for that now."

"Too late?"

He nodded. "A recent injury from the war. I will never have children of my own."

"I don't think I will either." The words burst from Frigga, and she clapped a hand over her mouth.

Tyr's brow furrowed. "What?"

Frigga glanced around. She led Tyr to the nursery. She told the nurse to take a break for an hour, and in a low voice told him everything. It was such a relief to get the weight off her shoulders that she could have collapsed and fallen asleep, she felt so light after sharing her burden.

"Odin didn't tell me any of this," he murmured.

"We agreed not to tell anybody. But I just… I'm sorry." Frigga put her face in her hands. "You're dealing with your own grief, I shouldn't have brought this up."

"No, it's fine. It's… it actually helps. Knowing I'm not alone." Tyr stood over Thor's crib. "Nobody will know. He looks exactly like Odin."

Frigga nodded her agreement.

"And it's not certain you'll never have children, Frigga. And I suppose the same goes for me. I was told it was highly unlikely, but not impossible." Tyr smiled at her. "Who knows, maybe Odin will die, then you and I will marry and—"

He cut off, going red as Frigga stared in horror.

"That is not funny," she told him.

"No, it wasn't. I'm sorry." Tyr cleared his throat. After a moment, he took his leave.

Frigga sat down. How must Tyr feel? Not only losing a child like that, but not even being able to give it a proper burial? It must be the worst feeling ever.

She ran her fingers through Thor's lose curls. "I love you," she whispered.

Thor stirred. His eyes opened lazily and locked on Frigga – and promptly began wailing.


	12. Epilogue

The battle raged for months.

During that time, Frigga saw nothing of Odin. She could only go to Heimdall for updates on what was happening. As more and more wounded soldiers were brought back from laying in the wake of the battle, even that had to stop. Frigga made a rare decree, based on her position as King's wife, and every able man and woman was now in the war at some capacity, whether it was fighting, healing, gathering herbs or cooking food. Asgard was in a constant state of flux.

Jord came to the city once Odin had driven the Jotunns off of Midgard, but the Elder Goddess rarely visited Thor. In the one brief conversation they had, Frigga learned that Jord had made a deal with Odin, as thanks for saving the mortals from the Jotunn's ice. Jord spent her time caring for the wounded, making crops grow exponentially, and caring for Freyja, whose late pregnancy saw her so ill that she was bedridden. Frigga hadn't seen her friend in months.

Frigga laid Thor down in bed. The little boy fussed, but after a day of one tantrum after another, he had finally worn himself out. His eyes were heavy, and soon closed.

The queen collapsed onto a nearby chair. Young Var, Freyja's daughter, watched Thor most days, since she was too young to help with the war effort. She was too young to be responsible for a baby as well, but Frigga didn't have much options. However, the young girl had collapsed and slept as soon as Frigga had shown up, and so the queen decided to give her a few moments peace, in case Thor didn't stay down.

The opening door made her look up. She leapt to her feet, crying out.

"Odin!" She flung herself at her husband, sobbing with relief to see him alive. She cupped his face in her hands, wanting to kiss every inch of him but afraid of hurting him. Her gaze went to the empty, bloody socket. "Your eye!"

"Is glad to see your beautiful face again." He smiled tightly as his fingers caressed her lips. She leaned into his touch. "Don't mourn the one lost. It doesn't matter."

She went to embrace him, but his tensing muscles stopped her. Looking down, she saw he was cradling his arm against his chest. No. Not his arm. She gasped.

A baby lay against him, pale green eyes staring out at her.

"Laufey's son," Odin said wearily. He passed the baby to her. "Left to die in the temple."

"What about his mother?"

"I made inquiries," Odin responded, stumbling past her. He leaned against Thor's crib, and reached in to touch his son's fair hair. "She's dead. He has no mother."

Frigga gazed at the baby, and her heart swelled. No. "He does now."

Odin started violently, and a splash of blood dripped from his ruined eye onto the floor. "Frigga—"

"Go to the healers," she directed, taking his hand. She pulled him towards the door. "Get that eye taken out before it rots and infects you. We can talk later."

Odin stared at her for a moment before he nodded slowly. He stumbled out the door. Frigga slowly retreated back to the chair. Her mind swirled with exhaustion, but she ignored everything except for the fact that her husband was alive. He had come back to her. And now she had two sons to love and care for. With Jord in Asgard, Thor would return to his sweet self, and this new baby would give him a young playmate, once they both aged a bit.

Thor stirred and cried out. He stood in his crib, looking at the door. "Da?"

"Da was here," Frigga told him. "But he had to go for a little while. He'll be back soon."

Thor focused on her, and then the baby in her arms. His eyes narrowed and his lower lip stuck out. He pointed an accusing finger at the baby, and, in a voice full of contempt, asked, "What?"

Frigga gently lifted him with one arm from the crib, and retreated to the chair again. He settled on her lap, staring at the baby with suspicion.

"Thor, this is your little brother," Frigga told him, beginning to rock. "Loki."

The young boy wrinkled his nose, but put a gently hand on the baby's arms. "Loki."

Frigga smiled. It was the first time Thor had said anything so clearly on his first try. "Yes. Loki. And we're a family."


End file.
